AI-Powered Cameras Deliver Real-Time Visibility, Stronger Security, and Proactive Operations for Columbus Water Works
Improving Operational Visibility Across Water Utility Facilities
Columbus Water Works (CWW), a water utility and treatment company serving 200,000 people in the Columbus-Fort Benning region of Georgia, needed a better way to view and monitor activity across its offices, labs, and treatment facilities.
But their existing video solution wasn’t built for that level of oversight. CWW was relying on outdated equipment without an effective platform to capture video across its facilities.
Minor thefts, trespassing, internal issues, and unauthorized activity made it clear that the utility provider needed more than passive recording. It needed an intelligent, connected approach that could turn video into actionable insights and support day-to-day operations with greater confidence.
Implementing Visual Intelligence for Proactive Monitoring
That shift began with the need for after-hours monitoring at their North Plant, where staffing is limited overnight. Vector Security initially supported CWW with Visual Intelligence video monitoring at that facility. After experiencing the benefits of that solution and the level of service provided by the Vector Security team, CWW then expanded the partnership into a broader effort to unify video across the company’s multiple sites.
Vector Security’s Visual Intelligence created a centralized platform for CWW to view, manage and archive video across facilities. Subsequently, cameras were deployed across key outdoor areas and important interior spaces, including the main office, lab and warehouse.
The result was a more proactive solution—one designed not just to record events, but to help the customer see more clearly, respond more effectively, and operate more efficiently.
Turning Video Data into Actionable Insights and Faster Investigations
Since implementation, CWW has already used video to review incidents and investigate loss. In one case, the team was able to pull, preserve, archive and share footage tied to stolen equipment. In another, video helped clarify what happened during an incident in the yard.
Tom Barnes, Security and Emergency Preparedness Manager at Columbus Water Works, summed up the difference in practical terms: “Before partnering with Vector Security, we didn’t know what happened because we didn’t have cameras to see it. But now we have that coverage and it’s been valuable to us in our investigations.”
That shift from uncertainty to usable evidence is where the value of Visual Intelligence comes to life, moving beyond passive video to smarter monitoring and more informed action.
Tom added, “When an incident is reported, I can go into the platform, put in ‘white truck’ or ‘red truck’ and the system will search and pull up the video.” That kind of intelligence helps reduce manual review and gives the team faster access to the answers they need.
Today, with Visual Intelligence, CWW has greater visibility across critical facilities, a more organized way to search and manage video, and a platform that can continue to grow with the organization. The result is more than a camera upgrade—it is a modern, intelligent approach to security and operations.
Learn more about Visual Intelligence for business from Vector Security.