Schneider Electric has partnered with the City of Conroe, Texas, to overhaul its water infrastructure with open, software-defined automation. The deployment of EcoStruxure Automation Expert (EAE) across 19 plants is part of a $50 million infrastructure programme aimed at improving efficiency, resilience, and scalability in one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities.
The automation platform, designed to reduce engineering complexity and speed commissioning, underpins Conroe’s push to meet rising demand while maintaining reliability. By enabling secure remote operations, integrated disaster recovery, and modular plant expansion, the technology supports a system still mindful of vulnerabilities exposed by Hurricane Harvey.
“Collaborating with Schneider Electric to implement EcoStruxure Automation Expert has been a valuable step in strengthening Conroe’s water systems,” said Daniel Robert, Water Superintendent at the City of Conroe. “This initiative is helping us accelerate deployment, improve efficiency, while also supporting our broader goals around transparency and quality of life for residents.”
Schneider Electric positioned the project as a model for municipal utilities under pressure from population growth, climate risk, and ageing assets. “Water is vital to our communities and economy, yet cities face growing challenges with supply shortages, aging infrastructure, and climate uncertainties,” said Sophie Borgne, President of Water & Environment at Schneider Electric. “Conroe’s forward-thinking approach demonstrates how open, software-defined automation can secure a city’s water future while enabling scalable, efficient operations.”
The EAE rollout has already accelerated delivery of new capacity, including the Silver Springs Bypass waterline, while cutting losses across the network. According to Schneider, reduced downtime and optimised operations will also generate measurable cost savings, demonstrating how digitalisation can yield both economic and sustainability benefits.
Municipal water systems are under intensifying scrutiny across North America, where the Environmental Protection Agency has warned that an estimated $625 billion will be needed over the next 20 years to maintain and expand drinking water infrastructure. Against that backdrop, Conroe’s decision to embed automation at the core of its upgrade reflects a wider shift toward modular, software-defined systems that reduce lifecycle costs and dependency on proprietary hardware.
Global adoption of EcoStruxure Automation Expert is expanding in parallel. Singapore and European utilities have already adopted the platform for its vendor-agnostic integration and diagnostic capabilities. Schneider is promoting these deployments as proof of concept for a sector facing increasing cyber risks, tightening sustainability targets, and operational demands that legacy systems are failing to meet.
Conroe intends to expand EAE use in future phases of its upgrade programme, reinforcing its long-term strategy for a resilient and scalable water infrastructure. Schneider Electric has indicated that it will continue to support the city’s roadmap, positioning the collaboration as a benchmark for municipal water projects across North America.
