By Selangor Journal Team
SHAH ALAM, March 6 — Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) has unveiled Malaysia’s first fully automated water treatment plant in Semenyih, developed in collaboration with global energy management and automation firm Schneider Electric.
It said the Semenyih 2 Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was equipped with the Asset Digital Twin technology that allows autonomous operation across standard, startup, and shutdown processes.
Air Selangor chief executive officer Adam Saffian Ghazali said the digital twin solutions are a game-changer for the water industry and highlighted the importance of leveraging technology to build resilience and sustainability in water management, which ensures a reliable and efficient supply of treated water.
“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 in a joint statement with Schneider Electric today.
With the digital upgrade, Air Selangor can detect anomalies, optimise water distribution strategies, forecast the impact of planned and unplanned events before an incident occurs, and implement mitigation strategies efficiently.
Meanwhile, Schneider Electric said the technology is able to project upcoming events several months ahead due to its accumulation of data that could provide proactive forecasts that would contribute to 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 modelling in their large water distribution network, Air Selangor is unlocking a deeper understanding of complex water distribution networks through real-time monitoring and remote control water distribution flow on demand, enabling more informed decisions and efficient operation in water management,” said its Global Water Segment leader S. Shanmugavel.
Commending Air Selangor for its proactive efforts in leading the charge towards sustainability in water management, Schneider Electric country president for Malaysia Eugene Quah said the digital initiative also addresses the pressing water security issue in the country, in which the current trajectory is projected as unsustainable.
He also called for a shift in mindset and practices to promote sustainability in water management and urged the nation’s water sector to acknowledge all assets as valuable resources for reuse in order 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,” Quah said.
The Semenyih 2 WTP, which has been operational since 2022, has an average output of 100 million litres per day and is projected to achieve up to a 20 per cent improvement in productivity.
The initiative also earned international recognition, as Global Water Intelligence shortlisted it for the prestigious Global Water Awards 2025 in 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.
[caption id="attachment_392353" align="aligncenter" width="1175"]
Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd and Schneider Electric personnel at the Semenyih 2 Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Dengkil on March 6, 2025. A joint collaboration between the two has converted the Semenyih 2 WTP into Malaysia’s first fully automated WTP. — Picture by PENGURUSAN AIR SELANGOR SDN BHD[/caption]
