Role of the IoT and AI in the digital transformation of water utilities
The United Nations World Water Development Report published in mid-2019 estimates that 3.6 billion people live in areas that suffer from water scarcity at least 1 month each year and, by 2050, 6 billion people around the world will suffer from scarcity of clean water. To combat these challenges, water utilities are leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) and digitising their operations for effi cient water management throughout the water cycle – from water resources to the taps, and effi cient wastewater treatment to protect water sources. Water utilities are at a critical juncture, needing to upgrade existing infrastructure to improve resilience of critical operations to serve their consumers and protect water resources, while governments and regulatory policymakers are undertaking several short-term and long-term measures to improve regional water security and self-suffi ciency.