{"id":156178,"date":"2025-10-20T06:34:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T05:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=156178"},"modified":"2025-10-17T17:34:30","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T16:34:30","slug":"transforming-facility-management-water-treatment-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/digital-construction-news\/construction-software-news\/transforming-facility-management-water-treatment-plants\/156178\/","title":{"rendered":"Transforming facility management in water treatment plants"},"content":{"rendered":"

How the FARO Blink Imaging Laser Scanner<\/a> and FARO Sphere XG Digital Reality Platform can assist<\/h2>\n

In the annals of building maintenance, facility management is often an underappreciated aspect of the construction industry. This is especially true when dealing with water treatment plants.<\/p>\n

With water storage and treatment solutions cultivated across centuries, augmented with modern BIM schematics and vivid 3D maps, architectural design gets top billing. Construction, too, is where what\u2019s on paper or on screen becomes reality.<\/p>\n

Facility management is a beast of a different order. Defined as the practice of keeping buildings and workplaces running smoothly, safely and efficiently, facility management involves managing everything from physical spaces and equipment to the people and processes that use them.<\/p>\n

A facility manager makes sure the as-built environment supports employees, visitors and the overall goals of an organisation. While less glamorous, it is no less important and where reality capture hardware and software solutions like the FARO Blink<\/a> and Sphere XG<\/a> digital reality platform can help.<\/p>\n

UK water woes<\/h3>\n

Facility management covers many responsibilities. Operationally, it includes maintaining HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, cleaning and security. In terms of strategy, it can involve space planning, energy efficiency, sustainability, health and safety compliance, and preparing buildings for future growth or new technologies.<\/p>\n

In the UK, water treatment facilities up and down the country are in something of a crisis. According to the latest reports, the system is plagued by frequent sewerage discharges into rivers and seas \u2013 serious pollution incidents were up 60% in 2024<\/a> \u2013 aging infrastructure, under investment, fractured regulatory oversight and a combined sewer system burdened by population growth and, increasingly, extreme weather \u2013 a perhaps surprising recent development in the age of climate change.<\/p>\n

These combined deficiencies have a trickle-down effect. Pollution leads to environmental damage. Threats to public health from bacteria and viruses increase. And water companies like Thames Water, the country\u2019s largest serving 16m customers in southern England<\/a>, face growing financial strains with a reported loss of \u00a31.65bn year to date for March 2025, while its debt soared to \u00a316.8bn. Worse than any red lines on a company ledger or risk of insolvency is the erosion of public trust.<\/p>\n

Reality capture tech to help plug the leaks<\/h3>\n

Increasingly, 3D reality capture technology can help water companies like Thames Water and others improve their workflows, drive new efficiencies and reduce costs.<\/p>\n

Combined with formidable cloud-based software platforms like Sphere XG and suddenly, facility management becomes a virtual experience, where project stakeholders can view and oversee water treatment facilities from afar, collaborating anywhere within country or beyond.<\/p>\n

Blink is a reality capture 3D scanning solution designed for simplicity and accessibility. The lightweight-yet-rugged device delivers high-quality visualisation and automated workflows, helping teams capture, view and share data seamlessly, regardless of expertise.<\/p>\n

With Blink, users can expect to perform the following key facility management tasks:<\/p>\n