In 1900, just 15% of the world’s population lived
in cities. Now that proportion is over 50%, which
is a lot of people. In fact, it means around four
billion human beings rely on urban infrastructure
to keep them warm, mobile, and clean.
Getting smarter about
water consumption
technology
T
echnology helps with this of course. Digital sensors, smartphones,
and smart home appliances allow for a new kind of understanding
between citizens and city officials. In this so-called ‘smart city’,
information and communication technologies (ICT) and the Internet of
Things (IoT) are used to enhance city
living. Smart cities are a major part
of achieving the goal set by the
United Nations of making urban
environments “inclusive, safe,
resilient, and sustainable”.
Water infrastructure is often
overlooked when smart cities
are considered or discussed.
This seems strange when
water services are so crucial
for human health and well-
being. But water is often seen
as an ‘invisible utility’ that is
taken for granted. The industry
has also been slow to harness
the power of new technology.
One thing is certain though:
water should be a key element
of the smart city concept.
And there are two major
ways in which smart water
technologies will be coming
soon to a city near you.
By Dragan Savic
o f
i n
Water Sewage & Effluent July/August 2017
29
Smart water meters
Smart meters are already widely
used to manage demand in
domestic energy. But there is also
solid evidence that the same kind
meters could dramatically curb
domestic water use. The uptake of
domestic metering by the water
industry lags the energy sector, but
this is changing. Water companies
the UK are facing restrictions in
availability and increases in demand.
Thames Water for example,
Britain’s biggest water company, would
face a supply shortfall of 133 million litres