Seqwater seeking asset planning tool to overcome "functional limitations"

Seqwater, South East Queensland's water management authority, is looking for dedicated software to replace its spreadsheet-based asset and investment planning tools. 

The authority manages a wide range of assets in South East Queensland through its current system, including dams, weirs, water treatment plants and pipelines across the region, along with other management resources. 

A spokesperson for Seqwater told iTnews that the authority's current spreadsheet-based approach had "functional limitations", particularly when it came to advanced modelling, integration and reporting.

The authority said that it hoped the new software would include decision-making and transparency features to improve its investment planning capability across its asset portfolio. 

Ideally, Seqwater would like the option to incorporate catchments, facilities, recreation assets and other "ancillary" asset classes into the new software system. 

Seqwater currently relies on spreadsheet-based methods to do the job and its spokesperson said that it was reliant on systems that hadn't undergone "any significant modernisation". 

The authority said it hoped to make its investment decisions consistent and that it aimed to take advantage of newer investment manage software features.

The features on its wish list include scenario modelling, forecasting, lifecycle cost analysis and risk management. It also said it would value robust reporting capabilities.  

The authority is expected to make a decision on the new system in February next year.