A correct water supply is essential to minimise losses and optimise the use of a resource that is scarce in certain areas or at certain times of the year.
To this end, the digitalisation of its management can be a great ally when it comes to avoiding waste or inefficient use of this fundamental element for life.
World Water Day: origin and importance
World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March, a day that has been celebrated since 1993, when it was declared by the United Nations General Assembly.
Remembering the importance of water is especially relevant considering that not only is access to water a human right, but that 2.2 billion people do not have access to safely managed drinking water services, with the consequences that this has on their daily lives in particular and on society in general.
According to the UN, approximately half of the world’s population suffers from severe water shortages for at least part of the year.
As the UN reminds us, “as the impacts of climate change increase and populations grow, there is a pressing need, within and between countries, to unite to protect and conserve our most precious resource”.
“Public health and prosperity, food and energy systems, economic productivity and environmental integrity depend on well-functioning and equitable management of the water cycle,” the organisation concludes to emphasise the importance of proper water management.
Even the sixth of the Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
IoT and Big Data, allies in the digital transformation process of the full water cycle
The digital transformation of companies in the water sector is a major step towards more efficient management that saves losses and/or waste.
The objectives of the digital transformation of these companies are various, with the focus on generating the most efficient management possible and helping to meet the new demands caused by different geographical movements.
Numbers can help us understand the magnitude of the relevance of the digital transformation of water resources. According to data from Telefónica Tech, smart metering reduces water leakage by 40%, reduces operation and maintenance costs by 20% and improves customer satisfaction rates by up to 60%.
Benefits of digital transformation for companies in the water sector
The specific benefits of digital transformation for water companies are as follows:
- Reduction of losses during the water cycle. The ratio of leaks in distribution networks can exceed 25%; therefore, detecting them helps to reduce the resulting wastage.
- Adaptation of infrastructure investment plans to cover and ensure demand.
- Generation of customer consumption profiles to identify possible consumption patterns and profiles. In this way, accurate information can be obtained, helping to ensure real billing without delays.
- Improved demand management strategy.
- Reduced energy consumption in the water utility’s value chain through demand forecasting.
Success story of digital transformation in the water sector
A concrete example of how digital transformation helps in water management can be found in Telefónica Tech and Emasesa, the water supply and sanitation company in the metropolitan area of Seville.
With the advanced analysis of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence solutions, smart meters send consumption data every hour to optimise management, detect anomalies and improve service.
If you would like to find out more about this project, please click on the following link: Emasesa: we connect more than 300,000 water meters.
Conclusion
The correct management of water resources can help to significantly improve water loss rates, reduce energy consumption in the value chain or improve the necessary infrastructures to help provide a better supply of a resource that is increasingly scarce.
