Case Study
Pharmaceutical Company Boosts the Efficiency of Groundwater Evaluation through Integrated Data Tools
At Kennedy Jenks (KJ), we develop comprehensive tools that allow our clients and teams to efficiently access the information they need and gain deeper insights into their data that may not be readily apparent using classic techniques. Our client, a prominent pharmaceutical manufacturer, engaged KJ to assess impacted groundwater across a large geographic area. The target was to achieve site cleanup to prevent groundwater from migrating toward surface water, such as creeks or potable water wells, and adversely affecting the ecosystems and resources of the region.
With a neighborhood to the south, other industrial facilities to the east and west, and grazing land to the north of the site, local attention was on the project. Collaboration and communication between all of the stakeholders were paramount to the project’s success.
The Challenge
Our client engaged KJ to conduct a site characterization at their facility. In support of the client’s Environmental and Social Governance mandate, and in order to comply with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit requirements, our goal was to identify and remediate site contaminants in an efficient manner.
During the site characterization, KJ evaluated the presence of solvents used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in groundwater at the site. Additionally, KJ investigated the location of groundwater plumes to understand the directional migration of these solvents in groundwater.
While the constituents identified in the groundwater did not pose a risk to human health, the client wanted to improve public perception of its operations and enhance its reputation as a reliable partner in the region. This project additionally covered a large area, and therefore required the ability to remediate the soil and groundwater at a vast number of locations.
Monitoring over 70 wells on a quarterly basis has resulted in a database of tens of thousands of data points–a tremendous amount of information. Due to the sheer volume of this database, the client faced a significant challenge in identification and interpretation of data across the diverse groundwater sample locations. KJ planned to review the groundwater data quarterly and identify any changes of note, which is an unachievably time-consuming task if performed manually. KJ knew early in the project that we would need robust data tools to efficiently manage this responsibility.
The Solution
In order to perform work for this client more efficiently, and to quickly communicate results to a wide range of users, KJ developed a comprehensive dashboard tool to identify and quantify groundwater issues in a timely manner. KJ integrated advanced GIS technology and a vast analytical database into a Power BI dashboard that allowed the team to quickly make data-driven, intelligent decisions that would not have been possible to make using standard tools.
The KJ dashboard provided a solution for two primary needs:
To monitor groundwater conditions during groundwater remediation activities to confirm that the remediation method was effective and that the anticipated groundwater conditions were being created as planned.
To calculate a series of statistical evaluations for quarterly monitoring of ecological risk in groundwater. To achieve this, KJ created a dashboard with a sophisticated data model that connected and consolidated multiple large and complex data sources into a few simple pages. The result was an accessible tool that allowed stakeholders to access the specific information they needed very efficiently, and to gain insights from their data that were not apparent using traditional means.
The data model for this dashboard was primarily built from three main data sources:
Location information from an ESRI ArcGIS Online map,
In-situ groundwater sensors, and
A client analytical database.
For all groundwater sampling events, KJ field staff used electronic data collection maps on tablets to locate the groundwater wells and record relevant data. This location information synced to the Power BI dashboard and informed the map visuals. Additionally, sensors installed in the groundwater wells synced to a OneDrive that was then added to Power BI. Finally, analytical data synced to the dashboard through a direct link to a custom SQL database managed by KJ. This approach resulted in live links to the dashboard – whenever new locations were added to the map or new analytical data were available, the dashboard and its associated visuals would automatically update.
Making Real-Time Remediation Decisions
The dashboard was an essential tool for successful groundwater remediation at the site. KJ installed in-situ sensors in the groundwater wells that monitored conditions like pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. The sensors synced to a OneDrive that then connected to the dashboard. KJ staff could monitor conditions in real-time through graphs on the dashboard that reported the sensor data for each measured parameter. Through this, KJ staff were able to confirm that the remedial technology was working as planned.
In one case, the remedial technology was not working, and conditions in the well were not as anticipated. Using the dashboard, KJ staff made an informed, data-driven decision and adjusted the remedial technology. Conditions improved, and the event was a success.
If KJ had relied on traditional methods, such as sending data to a lab and awaiting results, we would not have been able to adjust the remedial technology in real-time, and the event would have had to restart. The dashboard gave KJ immediate insights into the data that we needed to progress the project.
Data Drives Human Health Risk Management
The client regularly monitors and evaluates groundwater from a human health risk perspective and asked that KJ complete a risk evaluation following each quarterly sampling event. EPA requires that certain statistical analyses are run for a risk evaluation. KJ proactively built those statistical analyses into the dashboard so that these calculations are automatically run whenever new data are available. Rather than needing to redo calculations each quarter, the risk analysis in the dashboard is available nearly immediately. This tool has allowed us to monitor risk quickly and efficiently at the site each quarter and confirm to the public that no human health risk is present from the site.
The Result
For this project, the end users were KJ staff and the goal was to provide the highest available value to the client. The dashboards were used by the team to deliver work efficiently and quickly communicate with the multiple stakeholders of the project. The democratization of data through a Power BI dashboard is a highly personalized way to consume information, allowing KJ and our client to efficiently access the information they needed, and gain insights to their data that were not readily apparent using classic techniques.
As an added bonus, integrating critical data into a dashboard protects the data from unwanted changes. The data are housed in a secure access database. A viewer can access the dashboard, adjust filters and parameters however they want, and never impact the integrity of the data.
This approach has been a win-win for both the client and KJ: we all save valuable time, it is extremely cost-effective, and it allows for quick and informed decision-making. We spend less time gathering and processing the data and more time using the data. The dashboard has facilitated countless conversations with the client and regulators to understand what is happening onsite. Using the dashboard, teams can quickly answer questions in mere minutes as opposed to days, allowing for in-depth discussion of real-time results and fostering confidence in the data.
“The client is very proactive in evaluating potential risk, and the dashboard has played an important part in this. If we did not have this dashboard, we would not have been able to do what [our client] asked us to do—it would have taken weeks. Instead, it took us hours. It allows us to make intelligent decisions that we can’t make with standard tools. It’s like building a street with bricks versus laying down pavement.”
Kiersten Robbins
Client Service Director