Integrating Serious Gaming with Water Distribution Models for More Effective Water Management

<p dir="ltr">Water distribution system (WDS) analysis has made significant progress in the past several decades, with the development of sophisticated computer programs that contain an abundance of features to aid in simulation. The myriad features, including basic functionality such as running hydraulic and water quality simulations, are typically still only accessible to technical experts, and have not been translated to a format that can be easily digested by system operators, community stakeholders, or water consumers. System operators and water consumers are the true recipients of policy changes often motivated by the expert analysis frequently done without their engagement. Tools that engage system operators and water consumers are needed to implement more informed WDS operational policies. This research develops Waterworks, a serious gaming environment for training and educating system operators and water consumers. Waterworks embeds a fully functional water distribution model with hydraulic and water quality simulation computed client-side. The interface includes an interactive 3D map of the system, node information, and player hints to ensure broad accessibility. Players progress through increasingly complex levels, changing system operation parameters, e.g., chlorine dosing, tank levels, operator pay, and water rates. Players see trade-offs first hand, making connections between operational parameters and output pressure, flows, and water quality. To encourage innovation, players are placed on an anonymous leaderboard that tracks achievements in comparison to others playing Waterworks. Beta testing of Waterworks shows engagement with the platform and will continue to guide development. Waterworks is an important step in consumer and water operator education that will foster better community-based policy decision-making.</p><p dir="ltr">This paper was presented at the 21st Computing and Control in the Water Industry Conference (CCWI 2025) at the University of Sheffield (1st - 3rd September 2025).</p>