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52 The Authority | October 2025 • Faster Training - Digital records and visual tools help inexperienced staff get up to speed more quickly. • Team Pride and Public Trust - Modern tools empower staff and show the community you are prepared and take initiative. Identify champions Identify a small team or individual responsible for guiding the transition and answering questions from across the organization. Look for people who can help build internal momentum and address skepticism. Budget for system enhancements and explore state and federal funding programs Technology like a digital twin is a long-term investment. Whether through grants, capital planning, or internal funds, sustainable budgeting is key. Allocate budget for digital initiatives Even if small, establish a recurring budget line-item for digital improvements. This shows commitment and can help match or leverage outside funding. Explore external funding options Stay informed about state and federal programs that support digital water infrastructure. There may be grants available for live digital twin pilots, Artificial Intelligence (AI), hydraulic modeling, and intelligent monitoring systems. There are also operational technology (OT) security programs available to small utilities for free or a small fee. You may also be eligible for free training and certifications. Being prepared to apply can accelerate timelines. Plan for total cost of ownership Consider not just software costs, but training, integration, support, cyber security, Operational Technology security, and data management when planning financially. Data and digital solutions enable utilities to do more with less as financial, environmental, and regulatory pressures grow. Utilities rely on a wide range of data to manage customers, assets, and operations, often siloed across multiple departments and systems. When data is brought together, shared, analyzed, and used for insights and predictive analytics, water system operators suddenly have a new kind of power for reacting and planning. For municipal authorities, digital twins represent a smart investment in operational resilience and long-term efficiency. They can support everything from leak detection and pump performance to regulatory reporting and capital improvement planning. But the real value is not just in technology, it is in the preparation. A digital twin is only as effective as the data and practices that feed it. And that is where most utilities can, and should, start today, regardless of when they plan to implement the technology. These readiness actions are not just for large, well-resourced utilities. In fact, small and mid-sized systems often stand to benefit the most. With fewer layers of complexity and greater flexibility, smaller utilities can implement improvements more quickly and see immediate impact, especially when it comes to reducing risk, improving visibility, and making limited staff and budgets go further. S Assess your readiness with this free survey and receive personalized recommendations In partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, we invite you to complete a brief Digital Twin Readiness Survey designed to evaluate your utility’s technical and organizational preparedness. If you choose to submit your responses, you will receive a personalized readiness assessment with targeted recommendations such as infrastructure improvements, system integration strategies, or change management steps based on your current state. The information you submit will inform academic research and may also shape industry best practices. Scan the QR code to begin. It is a simple way to turn insight into action and start your digital twin journey with focus and confidence. Melissa Rohland, PE PMP, is the Director of Strategic Programs at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., where she helps connect project teams with the right technology to better serve clients and their communities. With more than 35 years of experience, she started out as a civil engineer working on water sys- tems and grew into a leadership role focused on helping organizations work smarter with digital tools. Over the years, she’s led teams around the world, improved internal processes, and supported clients in making practical, informed decisions about how to manage their infrastructure.