Water is one of the most precious resources on earth. However, due to increased uncertainty regarding climate change, rapid urbanisation, and population, the pressure on water systems is mounting. Challenges like these make it more difficult to manage water. Cities across the world are investing in next-generation water management systems that use state-of-the-art technology to increase water-use efficiency, reduce waste, and support sustainable water savings in the long run.
Advancements in technology, such as automated sensors, digital water meters and artificial intelligence, ultimately help local governments to improve monitoring water distribution systems, leak detection, and prevent waste. Such smart systems are helping cities escalate water challenges with greater agility.
The Role of Technology in Water Management
Historically, water management relied on labour-intensive remote monitoring of antiquated infrastructure, which frequently resulted in inefficient water use and unnecessary water loss. However, smart water management systems will give cities the solutions to monitor, manage, conserve, and save water resources more effectively at the same time.
Several solutions in this field have the most significant impact:
- Smart Water Meters for Real-Time Monitoring
Smart water meters are water meters that use proprietary sensors and data analysis tools to monitor water consumption in real time. These smart meters:
- Provide accurate readings and reduce billing errors.
- Enable consumer monitoring to track and reduce water use.
- Identifies leaks and prevents excessive water loss at the same time.
- AI and Machine Learning for Leak Detection
Leaks in underground piping systems are a significant factor in the loss of water. AI-enabled analytics can:
- Identify leaks caused by pressure fluctuations.
- Show evidence of future pipe failures.
- Reduce costs by supporting proactive maintenance.
The implementation of AI-driven solutions in cities such as London and Los Angeles has reduced water loss successively by millions of litres per day over the course of each year.
- Automated Irrigation Systems for Water Conservation
Agriculture is the largest consumer of natural water supply, and inefficient irrigation is one of the premier contributors to the loss of water. Smart irrigation systems are able to utilise weather forecasts and soil moisture sensors to:
- Improve watering schedules based on actual needs.
- Reduce over-irrigation and robust irrigation.
- Grow yield while saving water. These systems are run in a variety of locations, including water-scarce areas such as California and Israel.
- Desalination and Water Recycling Technologies
Many coastal cities are looking at boaster new methods of developing desalination plants to convert seawater into drinking water. In addition, cities are also looking at urban discharge wastewater treatment and recycling technologies that can help cities reuse water for irrigation, industrial use, and drinking water. Cities such as Dubai and Perth are leading the world in providing education on the latest developments in desalination. In India, solutions like Planet Smart City are revolutionising water management across communities and public spaces, which could well be a growing trend in the near future.
