Digitalising the water sector
Efficient and proactive water management is a key challenge for all EU Member States, especially under climate change acceleration. Addressing this societal need is the aim of the EU-funded Fiware4Water project. Its ambition was to participate in the digital transformation of the whole water sector by developing a collaborative and open digital platform, based on the FIWARE technology and ecosystem. “Our core goal, within the consortium of 14 partners of water utilities, IT developers and data scientists, was to develop a new standardised, interoperable and cybersecure platform dedicated to water, the ‘Fiware4Water Reference Architecture’ (F4W-RA),” explains project coordinator Sonia Siauve.
F4W-RA supporting four water utilities
To test the robustness of the platform, the project deployed it in four demonstration sites by integrating it into the water management systems already in place. Specifically, the Greek demo case explored raw water supply optimisation. The French demo dealt with water distribution system management. The Dutch dealt with intelligent control for waste water, and finally, the English demo case focused on smart metering and citizen engagement. “The objective was to support the four water utilities in developing smart applications answering their needs, thanks to the FIWARE technology,” notes Siauve. To do this, Fiware4Water aimed to extend the capabilities and functionalities of the FIWARE ecosystem via the development of new components, including big data tools, amongst others. “With our four demonstration sites, covering the whole water cycle, we also wanted to demonstrate to water utilities a way to transition to real-time operational management using advanced technologies such as Internet of Things platforms,” highlights Siauve.
Digitalising the water sector with F4W-RA
A F4W-RA for the water sector was developed, tested and deployed in the four demonstration cases, which proved the potential of this technology to digitalise the water sector. More than 25 scientific models were designed, developed, validated and demonstrated. “These smart water models formed the base of the Fiware4Water smart applications, which covered many critical issues in the water cycle management domain from four main perspectives: raw water supply, water distribution, waste water treatment plant management, and water customer engagement,” confirms Siauve. In total, four smart applications and a mobile app were developed for the benefit of water managers and citizens. Additionally, to ensure that the digital solutions developed in the demo cases can and will be duplicated in Europe and internationally, sociopolitical engagement activities were carried out, leading to the creation of local water forums.
Guaranteeing the sustainability of F4W-RA
“We're sure that, in the long term, the new digital platform created, the F4W-RA, will enable the water sector to successfully cover critical issues such as the water system performance, better water quality, efficient use of the resources, pollution reduction or associated operational cost savings, in such a way that global sustainability aspects are satisfied in compliance with regulations and future economic, social and environmental needs,” concludes Siauve. The sustainability and further deployment of this new platform will be ensured by the 5th domain committee of the FIWARE Foundation, the Smart Water Domain Committee. What’s more, the initial pilot cities of Fiware4Water having created local water forum are now part of a global network and will be featured in the United Nations Water Conference in March 2023.
Keywords
Fiware4Water, water sector, F4W-RA, water utilities, digital platform, FIWARE technology, Fiware4Water Reference Architecture
