Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) are critical infrastructure. They cannot stop.
Unlike a factory that can shut down for the weekend, a WWTP must process inflow 24/7/365.
In this industry, OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) translates to Plant Reliability and Compliance Confidence.
If a primary blower fails, the biological process dies. If a lift station pump clogs, sewage backs up.
Standard manufacturing OEE tools fail here because they are designed for assembly lines.
You need software that handles Process Chemistry, Hydraulic Modeling, and Geo-Distributed Assets.
Here are the 6 best Performance and Asset Management tools for the Water industry.
1. Fabrico (Best for Asset Reliability & Mobile Rounds)
Fabrico addresses the number one challenge in water treatment: Mechanical Reliability of Remote Assets.
A typical utility manages hundreds of pumps, blowers, and screens spread across miles.
Fabrico replaces the paper clipboards used for "Operator Rounds" with a robust mobile app. It links Performance (is the pump running?) directly to Maintenance (does it need greasing?).
Key Features for Water/Wastewater:
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Offline Mobile App: Allows operators to perform rounds at remote lift stations or deep in concrete basements where there is no cell signal.
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Condition-Based Triggers: Connects to SCADA to trigger work orders when pump vibration or motor amps spike (indicating a ragging/clogging issue).
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Digital Logs: Digitizes the daily compliance logs (chlorine residuals, flow rates), creating an audit-ready trail for inspectors.
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Asset Lifecycle: Tracks the run-hours of UV bulbs and membranes to predict exactly when replacement is needed.
Best For: Utilities focused on the mechanical uptime of pumps and mobile workforce efficiency.

2. Aveva (System Platform / Wonderware) (Best for SCADA Operations)
Aveva is the operating system of the water industry.
Walk into almost any central control room, and you will see Aveva screens on the wall.
It excels at Real-Time Control. It visualizes the flow through the entire plant.
For "OEE," Aveva tracks the Total Plant Throughput. It is essential for the operators sitting in the control room, allowing them to balance flows during storm events.
However, it is a monitoring tool, not a workflow tool. It tells you a pump is alarmed, but it doesn't help the technician fix it.
Best For: Real-time monitoring and control of the treatment process.
3. Autodesk Innovyze (Info360) (Best for Hydraulic Modeling)
Innovyze (now part of Autodesk) brings Engineering Intelligence to operations.
It uses "Digital Twins" of the water network to model hydraulic performance.
It can predict: "If we turn off Pump Station A for maintenance, will Pump Station B overflow?"
This is critical for planning maintenance without violating compliance. It focuses on the Capacity Analysis aspect of OEE.
Best For: Engineers and Planners managing network capacity and hydraulic risks.
4. Hach WIMS (Claros) (Best for Water Quality Compliance)
Hach is the standard for water quality testing.
Their WIMS (Water Information Management System)—now part of the Claros suite—is the industry standard for reporting.
In Water, "Quality" (OEE) means meeting the permit limits (BOD, TSS, Ammonia).
Hach WIMS collects lab data and SCADA data to generate the DMR (Discharge Monitoring Report) automatically. It prevents "Compliance OEE" losses by flagging trend violations before they become fines.
Best For: Lab Managers and Compliance Officers managing regulatory reporting.
5. Samotics (Best for Pump Energy & Health)
Samotics uses Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA) to monitor submerged pumps.
In wastewater, you often cannot put a vibration sensor on a submersible pump because it is underwater and covered in "ragging."
Samotics installs inside the Motor Control Center (MCC) cabinet—dry and safe. It analyzes the electricity to detect clogging, cavitation, and bearing wear.
It provides a pure Asset Health score and helps utilities reduce energy costs by identifying inefficient pumps.
Best For: Monitoring submersible pumps and critical rotating equipment.
6. Klir (Best for Permit Management)
Klir is a specialized platform for Compliance Management.
It manages the "Paperwork" side of OEE.
Water utilities have thousands of permit conditions. Klir ensures that every sampling task, every report, and every inspection is scheduled and completed.
It doesn't talk to the pumps; it talks to the regulators. It ensures that your "Administrative Availability" is 100%.
Best For: Compliance Managers dealing with complex regulatory permits.
Comparison: The Water Cycle
Which tool fits your utility?
| Feature |
Fabrico |
Aveva |
Innovyze |
Hach WIMS |
Samotics |
Klir |
| Primary Strength |
Field Maintenance (Pumps) |
SCADA (Control) |
Hydraulics (Model) |
Lab Data (Quality) |
Energy/Health (ESA) |
Permits (Admin) |
| Metric Focus |
Reliability & Uptime |
Flow & Level |
Capacity Risk |
Effluent Quality |
Pump Health |
Reg Compliance |
| Mobile App |
Native (Offline) |
Mobile HMI |
Limited |
Field App |
Dashboard |
Limited |
| Maintenance Link |
Native (CMMS) |
Integration |
Asset Mgmt |
Limited |
Integration |
None |
| User |
Techs & Supers |
Operators |
Engineers |
Lab Staff |
Reliability Eng |
Compliance |
Conclusion: Keep the Flow Moving
In Water and Wastewater, "Downtime" isn't just lost money; it's a potential environmental disaster.
If your challenge is Lab Reporting, Hach is the standard.
If your challenge is Hydraulic Capacity, Innovyze is the answer.
But if your challenge is keeping the physical infrastructure—the thousands of pumps, valves, and screens—operational and reliable, Fabrico is the tool that empowers your field team to maintain the assets that protect the public.
Ready to modernize your rounds?
See how Fabrico digitizes operator rounds and pump maintenance for utilities.
Book a Demo with Fabrico Today