The Internet of pipes
An urban problem that we continue to face, is access to drinking water and being able to manage and maintain such infrastructure is complicated with water-distribution systems that are aging, a lot of water is lost. Waternet is an innovation that tackles this problem in creating a sustainable way of managing our water infrastructure. Waternet is the latest innovation that uses sensors to control flow and manage the whole water cycle.
In urban areas, leaks are the leading causes of water wastage. The reasons for leaks are from pipes that are pressurized, tree roots, freezing water, nearby construction works, accidents, and high-water flow. The idea of a pipe network connected to the Internet will measure water flow. It will also use sensors to control and manage the complete water cycle.
The first step would be to implement the sensors in the pipes to avoid continuous water leaks. They would place a small pressure sensor in different sections of the piping, where a fiber-optic thread or network cable transfers information from one unit to the following. This way, leaks can be detected within a perimeter of a few meters and in a short period. A change in water supply could be communicated in minutes, and the damage fixed in a matter of hours with a minimum amount of work because only the affected pipes that are causing the problem will be repaired. Therefore, avoiding the waste of massive volumes of drinking water.
In my opinion, water is a valuable source that is a crucial element in our daily lives. Creating an effective system that can be used worldwide can have significant benefits that are both sustainable and cost-effective. A connected city can exceed the current fashion of smart cities. Designing a water supply network which is connected to the Internet and corresponded with numerous measuring points avoids significant losses of water through leaks.
Reference:
Saunders, Mark, Marcos Martínez, Juan Samaniego, Services, Jorge Macho, and Services. “Waternet, the Internet of Pipes.” Ferrovial Blog, March 28, 2018. https://blog.ferrovial.com/en/2018/03/waternet-the-internet-of-pipes-2/.
