Handling water scarcity and water quality with the aid of the Internet of Things
In our water crisis era, the implementation of smart technologies could be a revolutionary new way of dealing with leaks and fluctuating supply and demand, water quality issues, thereby making the most of our water resources. Utilising smart sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and AI technologies, the Horizon2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action-funded IoT4Win project has been initiated to develop a context aware platform to solve several water-use challenges. IoT4Win has brought together Birmingham City University along with an ICT/IoT technology company from Greece and Romania, a water innovation company from Spain and a water utility in the UK. The project also involves training three next-generation pioneer entrepreneurs in IoT-related technologies for smart water management.
Paving the way for the implementation of IoT technologies in the water sector
IoT4Win’s main objective is to tackle widespread scepticism shown by water utility companies regarding the use of ICT/IoT by aspiring to become a test case for future smart water system developments. To this end, the project has created an open, secure and resilient platform capable of working within an IoT environment or in conjunction with current water infrastructure. The IoT4Win platform incorporates sensors and control systems that integrate with current industry-standard equipment to offer water monitoring and decision-making support. The use of smart metering and a complete analysis of water use/water quality across urban areas leads to new ways of providing accessible and affordable water to service users. Using this technology to provide real-time updates on the quality, quantity and demand for water, IoT4Win supported and monitored the pipe network across a section of the UK-based project partner United Utility’s jurisdiction. This helped to better coordinate daily operations and the timely identification of water losses and quality issue — the upshot being improved water savings and increased overall efficiency. The use of IoT4Win smart sensing and the integrated water management platform simulation in Spain has resulted in quicker crisis response when faced with water contamination in the hotter Mediterranean climate and alleviate health impact of water contamination in urban water system.
Assuring smarter water management for the future
Through a series of workshops, a conference and dissemination events, IoT4Win has brought together research and academic perspectives, industrial experiences and technology solutions to the water industry by utilising IoT, smart devices and sensing technology and artificial intelligence. The future of the project will follow two directions. The first is improving infrastructure and service, while the second is a change in culture. “By disseminating the use of advanced sensors and IoT we aim to help limit and locate water leakage in pipe networks and actively monitor water quality, which has the potential to benefit UK water companies and international communities,” explains Wenyan Wu, project coordinator. “Additionally, it’s crucial to facilitate greater engagement with utility services and government bodies to increase the adoption of IoT and modern technology in our water networks. The technology has the potential to meet global challenges and help preserve our most precious resource”.
Keywords
IoT4Win, smart water management, water scarcity, water quality, IoT, ICT technology, smart sensors, utility companies
