Schneider Electric is highlighting new automation, energy management, and digital technologies for the water and wastewater industry as utilities face increasing pressure to improve operational resilience, cybersecurity, energy efficiency, and long-term infrastructure performance.

At WEFTEC 2026, Schneider Electric is demonstrating how modern industrial automation can help water utilities modernize critical infrastructure while reducing the need for large-scale replacement of existing control equipment. The company is also presenting enhancements to its Modicon PLC portfolio aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and operational resilience.

Modernizing Water Automation Systems

Water and wastewater facilities depend on automation systems to continuously monitor and control pumps, valves, motors, chemical dosing equipment, filtration systems, treatment processes, and electrical infrastructure.

Many facilities also operate automation equipment installed over long periods of time. Completely replacing these systems can require significant investment, engineering work, downtime, and operator retraining.

Schneider Electric is promoting a modernization approach that allows utilities to introduce newer software-defined automation technologies while continuing to use existing hardware where appropriate.

This approach can help organizations modernize their control architecture without requiring an immediate rip-and-replace strategy.

Modicon PLCs for Water and Industrial Applications

Programmable logic controllers remain a fundamental part of water-treatment automation.

A typical automated water facility may use PLCs to control:

• Pump stations
• Water intake systems
• Filtration equipment
• Chemical dosing
• Wastewater treatment
• Sludge processing
• Motor control
• Valve systems
• Remote pumping stations

The latest Modicon developments highlighted by Schneider Electric focus on improving cybersecurity and operational resilience.

As PLCs become increasingly connected to SCADA systems, industrial networks, remote monitoring platforms, and enterprise software, cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly important part of controller architecture.

Software-Defined Automation

Another major focus is software-defined automation.

Traditional automation systems often closely connect control software with specific hardware platforms. Software-defined architectures seek to separate the automation software layer from the underlying hardware, allowing organizations to introduce new capabilities without completely replacing the physical infrastructure.

For water utilities, this approach can be particularly useful because many facilities need to maintain continuous operation while gradually modernizing their control systems.

Automation software can be updated and expanded while existing field equipment, PLCs, sensors, and control infrastructure remain part of the operating environment.

Improving OT Cybersecurity

Water infrastructure is increasingly connected to remote monitoring systems and digital platforms. This connectivity provides operators with better visibility but also creates additional cybersecurity requirements.

Modern water automation environments need to protect PLCs, HMIs, SCADA servers, industrial networks, remote-access systems, and connected field devices.

Cybersecurity therefore needs to be incorporated into the automation architecture rather than treated as a separate IT function.

Schneider Electric’s WEFTEC program includes dedicated discussions around OT cyber protection, reflecting the growing importance of cybersecurity for critical water infrastructure.

Energy Efficiency and Intelligent Operations

Water treatment and distribution are also highly energy-intensive operations. Pumps, blowers, compressors, and treatment equipment can consume substantial amounts of electricity.

Automation systems can help operators optimize equipment operation according to actual process requirements.

For example, intelligent control strategies can coordinate pump operation with water demand, tank levels, pressure requirements, and process conditions.

Combining PLC control with energy monitoring and digital analytics can provide operators with a clearer understanding of where energy is being consumed and where optimization opportunities exist.

Connecting Automation with Industrial Data

Modern water facilities are increasingly becoming data-driven environments.

Sensors can collect information about:

• Flow
• Pressure
• Water quality
• Tank levels
• Pump condition
• Energy consumption
• Equipment status
• Chemical concentrations

When this information is connected to SCADA, edge computing, and analytics platforms, operators can move beyond basic monitoring toward predictive and optimized operation.

Industrial data can also support maintenance teams by identifying abnormal equipment behavior before a failure causes an interruption.

Supporting AI-Driven Water Management

Artificial intelligence is beginning to influence the way utilities analyze operational data.

AI and advanced analytics can potentially assist with demand forecasting, equipment monitoring, process optimization, energy management, and anomaly detection.

However, reliable AI applications require high-quality operational data. PLCs, sensors, SCADA systems, and industrial networks therefore remain fundamental to future AI-enabled water management.

Without accurate field data, even advanced analytics systems cannot provide reliable operational insights.

Building Future-Ready Water Infrastructure

The modernization of water facilities requires more than replacing individual controllers. Utilities need to consider the complete automation architecture, including PLCs, industrial networks, SCADA, cybersecurity, energy management, instrumentation, and data platforms.

A gradual modernization strategy can allow organizations to introduce new capabilities while maintaining existing production infrastructure.

This is especially important for critical water facilities where continuous operation is essential.

Conclusion

Schneider Electric’s latest water-industry initiatives demonstrate the growing convergence of PLC automation, software-defined control, cybersecurity, energy management, and industrial data.

For water and wastewater operators, modernization is increasingly focused on improving existing infrastructure while preparing facilities for more connected and intelligent operations.

As utilities adopt digital technologies and AI, robust PLC and SCADA foundations will remain essential for collecting reliable operational data and maintaining stable control of critical water processes.