
Information about the procurement
ICT Solution: Big data structural solution for management and maintenance of the Information System related to critical infrastructure in the water sector
Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg has 17 sewage treatment plants and approximately 150 grounds in ownership and management. In the past, each purification system had its own process automation. It often consisted of different equipment that was not geared to one another and was partly outdated. It was not efficient, ineffective and unnecessarily expensive. Together with Waterleiding Maatschappij Limburg N.V., Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg has developed the WAUTER concept (water automation) with which the management of the installations of Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg is standardized and automated.
Currently, there is a need for an improvement of WAUTER which includes the use of big data for process automation and standardisation of PA systems, network and information security, and improvement of work processes (WAUTER II project).
The project consists of four phases: (1) process automation and maintenance; (2) security; (3) Big data; (4) R&D (PCP on Big Data).
Key technologies:
- Artificial intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Big data for process automation and standardisation of PA systems
- Network and information security
- Process automation and maintenance

Also see the Toolkit Case box example – AI PCP – WBL
EAFIP Toolkit for Innovation Procurement - Module 2, pages 119-121
Public Procurer: Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg (WBL)
Type of innovation procurement: Pre-Commercial Procurement – PCP
Timeframe: September 2019 – September 2021
Budget invested by the procurer: € 750K (VAT incl.)
Market consultation and contract notice WBL:
- Prior Information Notice (PIN) of the Market consultation on Tenders Electronic Daily (TED): https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:575861-2019:TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0
- Contract notice on the Dutch tender plaform TenderNed: https://www.tenderned.nl/tenderned-tap/aankondigingen/181906;section=0
More information:
Project webpage WAUTER (WaterAUTomatisERing) (Dutch)
This project was winner of the
European Innovation Procurement Awards 2021
in the category Facing Societal Challenges. (See below on the page at Current Status. )

EAFIP Assistance provided
To the specific tender:
Assistance in the preparation of the procurements (in 3 lots).
To the general procurement of the organisation:
Best practices for innovation procurement, development of a business case and contract management.
CURRENT STATUS - PCP Phase 3 finalised
PCP Phase 3 finalised. Solution fully implemented and working in 2022.
Also see the
Toolkit Case box example – AI PCP – WBL
EAFIP Toolkit for Innovation Procurement - Module 2, pages 119-121
This project was winner of the
European Innovation Procurement Awards 2021
in the category Facing Societal Challenges.
Learn more – newsitem
Learn more – Download the EUIPA Award WBL Project Sheet
