A leaking pipe may not seem like a digital problem.
Yet when leaks occur across a large water network, identifying exactly where water is being lost can be difficult. By the time a problem becomes visible, significant amounts of water may already have been wasted.
This is one area where digital technology can make a practical difference.
Smart meters, sensors and connected monitoring systems can provide water operators with much more information about what is happening across a network. Artificial Intelligence can help analyse that information, identify unusual patterns and support earlier detection of potential problems.
The European Commission is currently developing an Action Plan for the digitalisation of the water sector. Its work is exploring how technologies including AI, smart sensors and smart meters can improve water efficiency and make infrastructure more resilient.
The Commission has reported that smart meters could reduce water use by as much as 25 per cent in some contexts, with additional savings possible through digital systems and leak detection.
For SUSTaiN, the important point is not simply the technology.
It is the skills required to understand and apply it.
Water professionals increasingly work with systems that combine physical infrastructure with sensors, software and data. Future workers may need to understand both how a water network functions and how digital information can support decisions about maintenance and resource use.
The SUSTaiN AI Training Programme explores AI in water management as one of its four core sector areas. Learners can examine how emerging technologies are being used to improve monitoring, efficiency and sustainability.
The SUSTaiN Case Study Compendium can also help educators turn this into practical learning. Starting with a clear problem allows students to consider what technology could realistically contribute and what other factors still need human expertise.
Water is one of our most important resources. Managing it sustainably will require infrastructure, investment and good policy, but it will also require skilled people.
Helping future professionals understand the tools available to them is an important part of that challenge.
Source: European Commission, Digital Action Plan for the Water Sector.