Exploring Digital Twin Applications in New Zealand’s Three Water Infrastructure for Sustainable Development: A Comprehensive Review

Mehwish Qureshi¹, Zhenan Feng¹, Vishal Kumar¹, Ruggiero Lovreglio¹, Mohsen Besharat²

1. Massey University
2. University of Leeds

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 809 to 818. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_78.

Abstract

Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a promising solution for enhancing the management of the three water infrastructures (potable water, wastewater and stormwater). Its application ranges from asset monitoring and predictive maintenance to health management and decision support, promising a future of efficient and sustainable water management. In New Zealand, where ageing infrastructure and climate change present significant challenges, implementing DT on the three waters sector offers substantial benefits. This study comprehensively reviews DT applications in New Zealand’s three waters infrastructure by examining academic literature, industry insights, and government initiatives. The research analyses the architecture layers of DT system using Six-layered Architecture for Digital Twin (SLADT) framework and explores stakeholders’ perspectives on DT adoption in the sector. The findings reveal DT systems follow a hierarchical framework, with layers tailored to stakeholders’ needs. Since 2018, the New Zealand government has initiated several programs, including the National Digital Twin program, to promote DT technology. However, the progress has been hindered by shifting government priorities and a lack of datasharing among stakeholders. While some councils have implemented DT at various levels, the full-scale adoption of DT across the three waters system remains incomplete. The study identifies stakeholders’ reluctance to collaborate as a key challenge, which could be addressed through legislative reforms, policy changes, and increased government funding.

Keywords

Session

Presented in Track E, Friday 8 November 2024, 16:30 to 18:30, room WA 224 A, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Esther Aigwi.

How to Cite

Qureshi, M., Feng, Z., Kumar, V., Lovreglio, R., & Besharat, M. (2025). Exploring Digital Twin Applications in New Zealand’s Three Water Infrastructure for Sustainable Development: A Comprehensive Review. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 809–818). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_78

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.