Underhyped Tech - Water Management Networks
This is a deep dive into one of our nine underhyped frontier technologies for development.
The full exploration will be released on April 23rd. Sign up to the launch event here.
Monitoring, predicting, and optimising water cycles supply and quality
Water Management Networks are reshaping how we understand, manage, and protect water—one of our most critical and stressed resources. By linking infrastructure, sensors, and software into a single, responsive system, these networks make it easier to track quality, reduce waste, and respond faster to floods, droughts, and contamination. While the technology exists, many systems remain fragmented or underused—especially in low-resource contexts. But when designed locally and integrated thoughtfully, they can unlock smarter, fairer, and more resilient water systems.
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Water Management Networks (WMNs) connect water infrastructure—like reservoirs, pipelines, treatment plants and natural sources—into a single, digital system: a real-time monitoring and response network.
With tools like wireless sensor networks, IoT and AI, they can monitor water quality in real time, detect leaks early, predict demand, and support more informed decisions about water use.
This makes systems more efficient and responsive, helping reduce waste and improve resilience to droughts, floods and other climate pressures.
WMNs can support a wide range of needs—from agriculture and urban planning to disaster response and cross-border cooperation.
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Water Resource Optimisation: Helps manage water supply, demand, and distribution efficiently, reducing waste and losses.
Flood & Drought Resilience: Early warning systems and predictive analytics help communities prepare for extreme weather events.
Water Quality Monitoring: Detects pollutants, bacteria, and harmful chemicals in real time, preventing contamination.
Decentralised Water Solutions: Supports local water recycling, rainwater harvesting, and smart irrigation, reducing dependency on centralised systems.
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Despite the urgent need for smarter, more efficient water management, adoption remains slow due to infrastructure challenges, lack of digitalisation, and limited policy incentives. Many solutions exist in isolation, but fully integrated networks that merge monitoring, forecasting, and decentralised water solutions remain in their early stages, particularly in the Global South.
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Across the world, water management is being reimagined through a mix of technology, local knowledge, and nature itself. Here's what’s worth paying attention to:
Nature as a sensor: Some systems are learning from local ecosystems—using plants and animals as early indicators of water quality and availability. It’s a simple idea, rooted in deep local understanding.
From reaction to prediction: With AI and big data, water systems are getting better at spotting problems before they happen. Think of it as shifting from fixing leaks to avoiding them altogether.
Community-led innovation: Many of the most promising solutions are coming from the ground up. When communities lead, the tech tends to stick—because it’s shaped by real needs and built for the long haul.
Decentralised by design: Instead of relying on one big system, small-scale, distributed approaches let communities act in parallel—improving access and resilience at the same time.
Open tools, shared data: Platforms like OpenMI and digital dashboards are making it easier for different systems to work together. That means faster decisions and more joined-up responses.
Ready for extremes: From early flood warnings to drought planning, these tools help communities adapt to a changing climate—not just react to it.
Closing the loop: Smart irrigation, water reuse, and recycling aren’t just good for the planet—they’re making water use more efficient and sustainable.
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Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risks: Digital water management networks create potential single points of failure, making them vulnerable to hacking, system failures, or data breaches.
Data Gaps & Integration Challenges: Many regions lack consistent or high-quality water data, making it difficult to connect different systems into a functional and comprehensive network.
Unintended Isolation: If systems are designed based on administrative boundaries rather than natural hydrological regions, actions may have unintended consequences on neighbouring communities.
High Initial Costs & Infrastructure Needs: Transitioning to smart water networks requires significant investment in technology, infrastructure, and capacity-building.
Technological Dependence: Over-reliance on digital tools may reduce resilience in cases of power outages, connectivity failures, or technological disruptions.
Limited Usability: The complexity of water management data and decision-making tools can be overwhelming, making it difficult for both laypeople and experts to interpret and act effectively.
Emerging Resistant Bacteria: Excessive use of antimicrobial agents in water treatment may lead to the emergence of resistant bacterial strains, creating long-term public health and environmental risks.
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Internet of Things (IoT) & Smart Sensors: Enables real-time monitoring of water quality and quantity, improving decision-making and response times.
AI & Machine Learning: Enhances demand forecasting, leak detection, and predictive maintenance, reducing water loss and operational costs.
Decentralised Water Solutions: Localised treatment and reuse reduce dependency on centralized water systems, increasing resilience and efficiency.
Government & Policy Support: Regulations promoting water efficiency, conservation, and smart infrastructure drive adoption and funding.
Open Data & Citizen Science: Community-led monitoring initiatives improve transparency, accountability, and engagement in water management.
Public-Private Partnerships: Investments in digital water solutions accelerate implementation and scalability.
Open Integrating Standards: Standardised software frameworks facilitate the aggregation, communication, and integration of diverse water data sources.
Community & Citizen Science Initiatives: Engaging local communities in water monitoring fosters stewardship, provides training opportunities, and creates pathways for qualified work as system replicators or community advocates.
Open-Source Toolkits: Some institutions have developed community toolkits and frameworks to facilitate the adoption and implementation of smart water management systems.
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Limited Funding & Policy Support: Many governments prioritise traditional water infrastructure over digital solutions, limiting investment in smart water management.
Lack of Qualified Personnel: There is a skills gap in key areas such as water management, chemistry, data analysis, hydrological cycles, bioregions, and infrastructure administration, particularly in low-resource settings.
Fragmented Water Governance: The involvement of multiple agencies managing different parts of water systems complicates integration and coordination.
Connectivity & Power Limitations: Smart water systems depend on stable electricity and internet, which are unreliable in many rural and underserved areas.
Community Acceptance & Trust Issues: Privacy concerns, data ownership disputes, and lack of awareness may result in resistance to digital water monitoring initiatives.
Supply Chain Challenges: Difficulty in acquiring, maintaining, and replacing specialised equipment slows down the adoption and long-term sustainability of digital water solutions.
Curious examples: what’s already happening?
Case Study no. 1
Wireless Sensor Networks for Water Quality Monitoring in Lake Victoria Basin - Prototype
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Lake Victoria Basin, shared by five East African countries, faces severe water pollution due to rapid urbanization, industrial waste, and climate change. Traditional water quality monitoring methods are manual, expensive, and slow, limiting their effectiveness in preventing contamination and ensuring safe water access.
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A wireless sensor network (WSN) system was developed to automate real-time water quality monitoring in Lake Victoria Basin. The system consists of:
✔️ Sensor nodes equipped with pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and electrical conductivity sensors.
✔️ A low-cost, scalable gateway that collects data from multiple sensors and transmits it through cellular networks.
✔️ A web-based and mobile-accessible platform for real-time visualization and decision-making.
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Enables continuous water quality assessment, reducing reliance on manual sampling.
Provides real-time alerts for contamination, allowing immediate intervention.
Facilitates cross-border collaboration by integrating regional data into a shared platform.
Reduces monitoring costs, making large-scale implementation feasible for resource-limited regions.
Enhances community engagement by allowing local stakeholders to access and act on water quality data.
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Case Study no. 2
Mussels as Living Sensors in Poland - Product/Service
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Poznań, Poland, relies on the Warta River for its drinking water, but the river flows through industrial and densely populated areas, increasing the risk of contamination, particularly from heavy metals. Traditional chemical sensors detect specific pollutants but struggle to provide a comprehensive, real-time picture of water quality.
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The Dębiec Water Treatment Plant integrates a biological-digital monitoring system, using mussels equipped with sensors to detect water quality issues. These mussels act as bioindicators, reacting to a wide range of contaminants. When water quality drops, they close their shells—automatically triggering a shutdown of the city’s water supply.
✔️ Nature-based monitoring network using mussels as early warning sensors.✔️ Automated response system ensures real-time reaction to contamination.
✔️ Integration with digital systems enhances accuracy and reliability.
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Protects millions from consuming contaminated water.
Decentralised, scalable solution that can be replicated in other cities.
Cost-effective alternative to expensive lab-based testing.
Demonstrates the potential of bio-digital networks for water security.
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Other interesting cases
AquaNES (EU) - Startup
The company catalyses innovations in water and wastewater treatment processes and management through improved combinations of natural and engineered components.
Implementation of Innovative Biological Nutrient Removal (US) - Pilot
Processes through Improvement of Control Systems and Online Analytical Measurement Reliability and Accuracy.
Accurate assessment of water supply of both people and the environment (Austria) - Framework/Method
IIASA researchers have developed the Community Water Model (CWatM), a large-scale hydrological and water resources model.
Monitoring faecal discharges from shipping (EU) - Framework/Method
Researchers have developed a new, integrative methodology that enables precise detection of small-scale faecal discharges from inland waterway vessels in flowing waters.
Equitable Infrastructure Toolkit (US) - Framework/Method
The River Network has published an Equitable infrastructure toolkit to empower people to identify the factors that affect water affordability, among other things.
Algorithm to improve precipitation predictions (Japan) - Prototype
A sophisticated data assimilation algorithm to improve precipitation predictions worldwide.
The Integrated Water Resources Management Plan Albania/Montenegro) - Pilot
Demonstrating the implementation of the new Integrative Methodological Framework (IMF). The IMF supports and enables planners and interested parties to make efficient use of the limited resources in coastal zones.
A framework that combines water quality with lifecycle assessment techniques (Canada) - Framework/Method
Working with data from small-medium communities provided a way to assess the long-term applicability of water systems that can provide safe drinking water to people.
Semtech’s LoRaWAN module (Int.) - Product/Service
Integrates low-cost sensors into water monitoring management platforms. Long Range Wireless Area Network is a protocol that optimises wireless signal reach, reducing the need for wiring and its maintenance and uses relatively little energy, ensuring uptime.
A DIY Low-Cost Wireless Wind Data Acquisition System (Spain) - Pilot
A system for analysing the foredune of Maspalomas, an arid dune field situated on the south coast of Gran Canaria.
Low Power Wireless Area Network solution (USA) - Product/Service
Devices with ultra-long range and extended battery life to detect irregular conditions and activity in any environment.
Autonomous system to monitor Arctic's melting ice (USA) - Prototype
The design integrates with the environment it monitors, offering new data on Arctic Sea ice melt beyond what satellites and manned ships can provide.
Future scenarios: what might happen in 2035?
As part of our exploration of these nine underhyped technologies, our partners at Pluriversa conducted a foresight exercise to consider possible futures and anticipate the challenges and opportunities within each technology. The exercise produced four scenarios for the year 2035, which you can read here, along with speculative use cases - with different potential outcomes - for each technology. Read on to explore potential future scenarios involving water management networks.
2035: Systemic Water Services
Given the vital importance of water, it has made sense for a long time now that bioregional authorities actively manage it and monitor its quality. Through a water management platform, they can sense and respond almost immediately to any biological anomaly, variations in the water cycle, or a change in consumption patterns.
The platform enables real-time, multi-source data from IoT sensors, biosensors, and also satellite observations. That way, it is possible to use Geographic Information Systems to keep an eye not only on water inside pipes, but also in large bodies of fresh water like lakes, rivers, and even entire seas. This can help with the early detection of epidemic outbreaks and even climate events like hurricane formation.
Long-term water consumption forecasts are highly precise and accurate when machine learning algorithms are used. This is possible thanks to the systemic integration of specialised weather networks that, together with supercomputers, can analyze vast amounts of data, allowing water engineers to produce clean water when needed.
The system integrates directly with the bioregion, allowing water engineers to regulate water flows, guarantee the quality of water, and stabilize humidity between different environments, helping them control and regulate ecosystemic services.
2035: Bio-political Population Control
Integrated water management platforms used by repressive governments are perfect for monitoring and controlling millions. They can easily scale and there’s not much that citizens can do about them.
By linking in-house biosensor data with personal information, authorities can impose restrictive policies and sanctions based on components inside an individual’s biological waste, undermining people’s freedom. Doing this enables governments to enforce a very detailed form of bio-control.
Minorities and illegal aliens can be tracked down thanks to the specific characteristics of their biology and their nutrition habits. Through the use of dedicated water systems, segregation of communities can be easily implemented. Entire neighbourhoods can be coerced into a form of collective control.
If this weren’t enough, corporations are also using them. With the help of multi-purpose biosensors, large private laboratories use these water networks to track down new forms of viruses, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other pathogens of which they develop specialised medicines, only to sell them at a very high price.
Final thoughts
If you’re working on climate resilience, agriculture, disaster preparedness or urban water systems, Water Management Networks may offer a practical way to connect the dots—between infrastructure, data, and the people who depend on both.
Some questions worth exploring:
How might we use real-time monitoring to improve early warnings for floods or droughts?
How might community-led sensor networks help spot leaks, contamination, or shifts in demand?
Are there public institutions, utilities, or innovators already experimenting with WMNs in your region?
WMNs won’t solve every water challenge—but they offer a flexible, modular way to build resilience and improve equity in water access. The technology is mature. The tools exist. What’s needed now is support to make them work in context—and at scale.
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Assessing the impact of inland navigation on the faecal pollution status of large rivers
Antimicrobial resistance detection methods in water environments
Drinking water management strategies for distribution networks
Implications for chlorine and trihalomethanes management in water distribution systems
Environmental and social life cycle assessment of urban water systems
A novel approach in water quality assessment based on fuzzy logic
Integrated intelligent models for predicting water pipe failure probability
Developing a framework for effective institutional management of Ghana's urban water supply
Wastewater treatment and reuse situations and influential factors in major Asian countries
A spatial multi-criteria framework to site the Land-FILTER system in a complex urban environment
Sensor Networks for Monitoring and Control of Water Distribution Systems
Low-cost monitoring systems for urban water management: Lessons from the field
This is a deep dive into one of our nine underhyped frontier technologies for development.
The full exploration will be released on April 23rd. Sign up to the launch event here.