Air Selangor and Schneider Electric Reinforce Water Security with Malaysia's First Digital Twin Water Treatment Plant (WTP)

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) today announced the completion of Malaysia’s First Digital Twin WTP at Semenyih 2 WTP in a partnership with Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation.

Operational since 2022, Semenyih 2 WTP is Malaysia's first fully automated WTP and has been recently equipped with Asset Digital Twin technology capable of autonomous operation across standard, startup, and shutdown processes. The plant delivers an average output of 100 million litres per day (MLD), and is projected to achieve up to a 20% improvement in productivity, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and innovation in water management.

This initiative has also earned international recognition, with the project being shortlisted for the prestigious Global Water Awards 2025 by Global Water Intelligence (GWI) under the category of ‘Water Project of the Year’. The Global Water Awards, presented annually at the Global Water Summit, celebrate excellence and innovation in the global water industry, highlighting projects that drive sustainability and operational efficiency.

Adam Saffian Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of Air Selangor emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to build resilience and sustainability in water management, “The Digital Twin solutions are a game-changer for the water industry. By enabling real-time monitoring and optimisation of our WTP operations, we can deliver a more consistent and reliable water supply, reduce inefficiencies, and improve service quality for our 9.62 million consumers. This aligns with our commitment to sustainability and our vision to become Asia’s leading water services provider by 2030,” he said.

With the new asset digital twin model at Semenyih 2 WTP, Air Selangor is ahead of the game in detecting anomalies, optimising water distribution strategies, forecasting the impact of planned and unplanned events before they happen and implementing mitigation strategies efficiently. According to Schneider Electric, this technology can predict events up to several months in advance as the digital twin model accumulates more data, providing proactive forecasts that assist in efficient facility operations.

“Digital twin - a virtual representation of physical water infrastructure and processes - is revolutionising the water industry. By integrating diverse data streams with online hydraulic modeling in their large water distribution network, Air Selangor is unlocking a deeper understanding of complex water distribution networks through real-time monitoring and remotely control water distribution flow on demand, enabling more informed decisions and efficient operation in water management,” said Shanmugavel Subramaniam, Global Water Segment Leader, Schneider Electric.

The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has highlighted that Malaysia could face severe water shortages within the next five years, driven by the combined pressures of climate change, increasing water demand, and aging infrastructure.

"Water security is an urgent issue, and continuing on our current trajectory is unsustainable. Malaysia’s water sector must recognise all assets as resources to be reused, shifting our mindset and practices to embrace a circular economy. By viewing water and its associated processes as interconnected systems, we can enhance sustainability, optimise resource utilisation, and improve efficiency. It is imperative for companies to drive innovation by investing in cutting-edge water treatment technologies and adopting best practices. We commend Air Selangor for its proactive efforts in leading the charge towards a more sustainable future for water in Malaysia," said Eugene Quah, Country President for Malaysia, Schneider Electric.