Buffalo Sewer Authority cuts pollution with smart sewer technology.

Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA) saved $145 million by deploying a cutting-edge digital system that reduced polluted water flowing into its rivers during storm events. The technology allowed BSA to use its existing network and solve a longstanding problem without spending on new infrastructure.

BSA, in collaboration with global water technology leader Xylem, were able to create a real-time decision support system that can visualise, predict, and control flows, regardless of the weather. Similar to a traffic app, the smart sewer system uses data from sensors across the network to pinpoint buildups. When one part of the network is under pressure, the city can redirect flow to under-utilised parts of the system. The technology will ultimately reduce the size and number of costly new infrastructure projects.

Using Xylem’s Wastewater Network Optimization System to address high volumes of combined sewer overflows (CSOs), BSA was able to harness the power of machine learning, hydraulic modelling, and data and analytics to optimise its network.

BSA is now a greener operation with a solution that limited the need for carbon-intensive infrastructure and advanced the city’s environmental, economic, and water equity objectives.

“Whether it’s people, dollars, or opportunities, we realize that there are gaps in resources. We seek to bridge those gaps by being smarter and working harder to ensure that we are sustainable in what we do and that we are resilient in that effort,” said Oluwole A. (OJ) McFoy, BSA General Manager.