Three ways to harness smart water technologies for sustainability

Water is the essence of life, and its responsible management is crucial for the wellbeing of humanity and our planet. As the global population burgeons and climate change intensifies, water management poses increasingly complex challenges. Among these challenges is the pressing need to decarbonise water treatment activities.

Conventional water treatment processes are often energy-intensive and can contribute significantly to a manufacturer’s carbon emissions. By embracing smart water technologies, companies can significantly reduce their carbon emissions while improving their overall sustainability performance.

Here are three ways smart water technologies can enhance an organisation’s sustainability efforts:

1. Optimising resources

Efficient resource management is at the heart of sustainability. Real-time data monitoring and analytics play a pivotal role in identifying areas for improvement. With the right digital solution, organisations can monitor their water treatment processes in real time, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that optimise resource utilisation. For example, weather forecasts can be used to optimise the operations of sewers and wastewater plants, load, as well as energy and chemicals usage, such that organisations can achieve cost savings while simultaneously reducing their environmental impact.

The merits of resource optimisation are twofold: it not only drives cost reductions, but also contributes to the curbing of greenhouse gas emissions, aligning organisations with sustainable practices.

2. Improving water treatment and conservation

Advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are game changers in every aspect of our lives, including the water industry. They enable companies to monitor and optimise water treatment processes with precision. By leveraging these technologies, organisations can prevent non-compliance issues and ensure that treated water quality remains consistently high. Moreover, smart water technologies empower businesses to manage water more effectively by identifying areas where water can be conserved, reducing wastage and supporting the preservation of this precious resource.

3. Data-driven decision-making

Data forms the bedrock of effective water management. With smart water technologies, data is transformed into actionable information for operators and managers. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can be set to provide guidance for decision-making, offering a better understanding of the plant’s operations and enabling rapid responses to water quality issues and emergencies.

By harnessing the power of data-driven decision-making, organisations can optimise their operations, improve efficiency and minimise their environmental impact.

By embracing smart water technologies, such as Veolia Water Technologies’ Hubgrade digital solution, organisations can optimise resources, improve water treatment and make data-driven decisions. The solution provides user-friendly and comprehensible data, as well as a unified platform for users to evaluate, monitor and improve process performance. By leveraging advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, the solution analyses data gathered from sensors that monitor the biological composition of wastewater. It can automatically fine-tune treatment parameters, such as minimising aeration or optimising chemical usage.

Image credit: iStock.com/inkoly