This research develops and validates data driven, real time control strategies for decanter centrifuges used in sludge dewatering. Efficient dewatering is critical to reducing transport, disposal and treatment costs while maintaining environmental compliance. Conventional centrifuge operation typically relies on torque based control and operator intervention, which limits optimisation to changing sludge characteristics. This represents a significant operational challenge and opportunity as for example increasing the dewatered cake dried solids content by between 1% and 5% can reduce subsequent haulage costs by between 5% and 20%. This study, based on research at full-scale case-study sites, investigates how monitoring of parameters including feed and centrate suspended solids, feed and centrate flowrate, differential speed and polymer usage can enable optimisation of centrifuge operation. The research demonstrates that real time monitoring and control can improve process response time, enhances cake dry solids consistency, reduces polymer overdosing, minimise energy consumption and equipment wear. Centrate quality was shown to be a key parameter, that can be continuously monitored, for optimisation of centrifuge operation. This can result in savings of between €45,000 and €191,000 savings/annum in the case-study 130,000 population equivalent wastewater treatment plant. Additionally, the approach supports operators through enabling preventative maintenance through improved process insight. Overall, this work establishes a framework for adaptable, data driven centrifuge optimisation, applicable to both new and existing treatment facilities, delivering improved operational efficiency, cost reduction and environmental performance.