Addressing aging infrastructure challenges

Kenosha Water Utility (KWU), a municipally owned water and wastewater utility located between Chicago & Milwaukee, has been a cornerstone of the community since 1895. Serving approximately 100,000 residents along the shores of Lake Michigan, the utility manages a vast infrastructure network, including 350 miles of sanitary sewer collection main and 390 miles of drinking water distribution main. For over a century, KWU has delivered clean water to its community, fostering a long legacy of reliability and service.

With a history spanning more than 100 years, Kenosha now faces the inevitable challenge of maintaining an aging infrastructure. The average age of pipe in both systems is approximately 60 years old, with much of their sanitary sewer network containing clay pipe installed over 100 years ago.

Until recently, KWU relied primarily on a reactive maintenance approach—addressing issues only after they arose. This process proved costly and resource intensive—in fact, Kenosha calculated that the average cost of reactive maintenance was roughly three times as expensive as the same project completed proactively. The utility needed a way to address aging infrastructure more efficiently while reducing the strain on its operations.

The younger generation is much more focused than previous ones on creating processes that can last over time. Not only will this help them as they advance in their career, but it will create a legacy to help future generations that come after them.

Embracing data-driven strategies for sustainable water management

To move away from the inefficiencies of reactive maintenance, Kenosha Water Utility sought out a proactive, data-driven solution—and found it in the APX^® platform. APX10 specializes in delivering comprehensive decision intelligence for water distribution and collection system infrastructure, providing utilities with actionable insights based on their existing data.

KWU and APX10 began by focusing on the integration and cleansing of underlying data systems. For example, the APX^® platform identified that over 50% of KWU’s sanitary sewer assets were missing material, and approximately 20% of their pipe network was mapped incorrectly. By streamlining the data cleansing process using APX10’s Data Quality module, KWU was able to add material to 150 miles of sewer while fixing 100% of their asset location mapping in just nine months.

By fully implementing the APX^® platform, Kenosha Water Utility can now assess the condition and criticality of its water & sewer pipelines with greater precision. The platform aggregates data across the utility’s network, enabling leaders to make more informed decisions about reinvestment and maintenance. This transition to a proactive approach reduces operational costs, minimizes downtime, and optimizes the lifespan of their infrastructure. Utility engineers have now begun utilizing APX^® to prioritize sewer relining projects, and are exploring analyses into the cause & effect of operational issues like I&I and Hydrogen Sulfide.

Thanks to APX10’s solution, Kenosha Water Utility is positioned to continue delivering safe, reliable water services to its community for many years to come, while also ensuring that their infrastructure remains sustainable for future generations.