R-Shiny Dashboard for Berliner Wasserbetriebe
Interactive Data Visualization of Berlin's Water Cycle
[Translate to English:] (C) BWB
Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB), a public-law institution, is Germany’s largest water supply and wastewater treatment company and ensures the supply of drinking water and wastewater treatment for Berlin and the surrounding area.
As part of the European research project IMPETUS, the BWB is conducting in-depth research into the effects of climate change on the capital’s water cycle. To make the results of hydrological modeling accessible to a broader public, an interactive user application was developed to present complex data in an understandable way and enable exploratory analysis.
Challenge
The results of the hydrological model were available as data output that was virtually inaccessible to non-experts without appropriate visualization. The goal was to develop an application that would present scientifically sound calculations—such as surface water flow rates and the proportion of treated wastewater from the BWB’s treatment plants—in a clear and accessible manner.
A key requirement was that the application should not be static but should allow for active experimentation. Users should be able to interactively explore the effects of different parameters—such as higher inflows, increased withdrawals, or ozonation in wastewater treatment plants—using a scenario simulator. Additionally, the solution had to be designed so that it could run on the existing infrastructure of Berliner Wasserbetriebe without relying on external sources.
Background
- The IMPETUS European Research Project as a conceptual framework
- A hydrological model for estimating the climate impacts on Berlin’s water cycle as a model
- CSV-based data points with surface water flow rates
- Interactivity requirements: Scenario calculator instead of static analyses
- Operation on the customer’s own infrastructure with deployment on the customer’s side
Our Implementation at a Glance
- Data Science
- Development
- Consulting
- Visualization
- R-Shiny
- Docker
Solution for Berliner Wasserbetriebe
dkd has developed a custom Shiny dashboard in R that presents the results of the hydrological model in an interactive and visually appealing way. At the heart of the application is the calculation and visualization of the volumetric flows in Berlin’s surface waters, as well as the proportions of treated wastewater from the BWB’s wastewater treatment plants.
Two complementary visualization methods were implemented: a clear data table and a Sankey diagram developed specifically for this application. The latter depicts the volumetric flows in a manner similar to a map—making it possible to see at a glance where specific flows are occurring and in what quantities. The application works flexibly with interchangeable data sources. (Sample data, updatable real-time data, etc.)
The integrated scenario calculator encourages experimentation: Users can vary parameters such as higher inflows, increased withdrawals, or ozonation in wastewater treatment plants and immediately observe the effects in interactive visualizations of wastewater composition and the concentration or retention of individual substances.
Project Scope in Numbers
ㅤ
65
Parameters
1000
Data records
Technical Details
The technical foundation is R, combined with R-Shiny as the framework for the interactive web application. Proven R components such as DT (interactive data tables), ggplot2 (visualizations), openxlsx (data export), and rsvg (graphics rendering) are used for data processing and visualization.
The application accesses two data sources: the hydrological model, which serves as the central basis for calculations, and a CSV file containing data points on volumetric flow rates. To ensure smooth operation on the Berliner Wasserbetriebe infrastructure, the application has been fully containerized (Docker), making it easy to deploy on the customer’s side—completely independent of external services.
Customer Testimonial
“Working with dkd on the development of the Shiny app was, from the very beginning, a highly professional, solution-oriented, and transparent experience. I particularly appreciated how well the dkd team addressed our individual needs as both a client and a user and worked with us to develop tailor-made solutions. Communication was always open and straightforward—a collaboration I would recommend in a heartbeat.”
Good to know
The project demonstrates how dkd combines data science expertise with the development of custom web applications. Instead of a static presentation of research results, the outcome is a dynamic tool that brings complex hydrological relationships to life for various target audiences.
The custom-developed Sankey diagram is a prime example of dkd’s speed of implementation and creativity: The visualization was tailored precisely to the use case and maps Berlin’s volumetric flows in a map-like format—a form of representation that standard components do not offer in this way.
Through containerization with Docker and deployment on Berliner Wasserbetriebe’s own infrastructure, control over data and operations remains entirely with the customer—an important aspect for a public utility company.
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