Water, as we all know, is a rare commodity. We\u2019re not talking just about drinking water which we all need, but also the water we use for irrigation in cultivation or for street cleaning. It is estimated that the average daily water use is 200 to 300 litres per person in the majority of European countries compared to less than 10 litres in countries like Mozambique. If every little helps, every drop counts in water management. Technology, in this sense, can also help us to waste less water or to respond more quickly when we begin to detect problems in the way it is managed.<\/p>\n
Many parts of the world, as we have seen, suffer from water scarcity; in others, however, huge quantities of water are wasted every day.<\/p>\n
The good news is that we can put intelligent analysis of the information available to work, and even increase the volume of data currently being handled.<\/p>\n
In order to do this, we must first use a variety of sensors<\/strong> to provide us with information. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]Applying a range of predictive algorithms, we can then determine how water is being used[\/inlinetweet] (whether for watering the lawn, having a shower, or running the washing machine). Each of these different uses is recorded and provides a specific and distinct pattern of water usage. The data thus obtained can then be compared with usage patterns observed throughout a city, and this will allow centralised detection of potential incidents, such as leaks (which appear as deviations from normal usage patterns).<\/p>\n With the application of all these data and predictive algorithms (also known as Big Data<\/strong>), the relevant water management authorities and engineers can predict water demand<\/strong> (for example in coastal locations, where there are significant fluctuations between the high and low tourist seasons). Using this information, water authorities can make improvements in and boost the efficiency of the water supply network, practically in real time. The ability to instantly detect potential water leaks means that the point at which the leak occurs can be identified, repair will be quicker than if such data was not available, and the amount of water wasted will be reduced.<\/p>\n But the practical application of Big Data for water consumption can also work in our own homes, thanks to smart water metres.<\/p>\n Smart metres provide loads of information on domestic water use<\/strong>, information that can be sent remotely to the water company servers<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Spain, an estimated 300,000 private homes have smart metres<\/strong> installed<\/a>.<\/p>\n In California, data has already been used to identify households using excessive amounts of water<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Basically, this involved applying correlation patterns to the data collected by smart metres, which in turn allowed households who were consuming an excessive amount of water to be identified<\/strong>. Such households were sent a friendly warning in the form of a worried-looking smiley face; households consuming the normal amount received a happy face.<\/p>\n This measure was taken in an attempt to counter California\u2019s worst drought in 100 years.<\/p>\n Water control using Big Data technologies is universal. In the Indian state of Kerala, for example, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA)<\/a>\u00a0is also using Analytics and Mobility solutions for better managing water use. The data collected by the systems help KWA to improve monitoring of water metres, reduce deviations in invoicing, and increase income by 10%.<\/p>\n Waste water has always required special treatment. Treatment plants derive benefits from the arrival of Big Data.<\/p>\nAt your house or mine?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What can we do with all this information?<\/h4>\n
Water treatment<\/strong><\/h4>\n