Infusing Intelligence

It’s like the world is trying to tell us that the timing for our next issue on water infrastructure couldn’t be better. First the burst next door, now this.

On the eve of 2010, IBM released a video titled The Next 5 in 5—a list of five innovations that could change cities in the next five years. Number 3 on the list? Smarter systems for water management.

(Start around 1:04 for water content)

Citing water loss due to leaky infrastructure and increasing human demand for water, the company claims that cities will install smarter water systems to reduce water waste by up to 50 per cent. Cities also will install smart sewer systems that not only prevent run-off pollution in rivers and lakes, but purify water to make it drinkable. Advanced water purification technologies will help cities recycle and reuse water locally, reducing energy used to transport water by up to 20 per cent.

Interactive meters and sensors will be integrated into water and energy systems, says IBM, providing us with real time, accurate information about our water consumption, helping us  make better decisions about how and when we use it.

What do you think about smart metering? One of our readers thinks it’s a scam, but a recent Oracle survey says that customers want more information about their water use, and that comes with smarter systems.