2023 is witnessing a lot of increasing challenges in water sector’s industry future.
We hope it can redirect water industry towards remarkable achievements and well planned water resources management all over the world in order to prolong water sector’s sustainability.
This year won’t give up a healthy water to drink , energy conservation, powerful managing networks or smart rainwater storage. 2023 says “Goodbye , plastic wastes ! We are not going to miss you”
1-A new sincere friend to water sector
The linkage between energy and water sector is named after ” water-energy nexus”
In other words, all processes in water sector to provide accessible water require the use of energy such as
- Groundwater Extraction
- Desalination
- Recycling
- Disinfection
At the same time, energy production activities depend on water availability such as
- Cooling steam-driven turbine generators.
- Fossil fuel and nuclear plants.
- Fossil fuel extraction.
In fact energy and water are two sides of the same coin.
In 2023 , the world has become more interested in renewable energy sources giving up fossil fuels seeking for energy and water sustainability.
As a result, we can predict that wind and solar energy will be used on a wider scale in 2023.
In addition to hydroelectricity where we can generate clean energy without green house gases emissions.
We hope that 2023 will be the year when you can breath fresher air due to overall reduction in carbon emissions.
2-Artificial intelligence wins the battle in water sector
AI can be used across the global economy on a wide scale to focus on high-value work.
Technology operated by AI in the water sector is fruitful for water management on all aspects even with high rates of population growth.
AI can be applied in management and monitoring. It also can help mitigating the effects of environmental crisis, as well as lowering costs and lessening flood impacts for instance.
AI applications in water sector
In general AI has an important role in water industry and the following are some of them
- leak detection.
- Pump optimization.
- Some analysis & quality tests.
3-A new promising revolution in membranes’ world
This year 2023, a highly qualified and long lasting membranes will be manufactured with higher standard,qualifications and characteristics.
Actually, 90% of the start-ups we see have some way of applying AI into the software, item, or a service they produce and market.
4-2023 promises
Pure and healthy water is the most necessary requirement for the survival of mankind and all other creatures on earth.
Believe it or not ,there are 10 countries with the worst quality standards in the world.
There is a noticed growth in using digital modern techniques to reach high quality standards in 2023.We hope in 2023 it would be fixed.
5-Drinkable treated wastewater
For the past 5 years there have been talks about wastewater and the probability to be drinkable without causing diseases.
In 2023,It will be useful to drink and to be used in irrigation purposes.
Actually, recycling wastewater can help us to be prepared for water scarcity predictions for coming years.
New technologies are also making it possible to transform wastewater to a potable grade or at the very least one that can be reused for agriculture.
6-A purification system inside our bodies
Have you ever thought about how much effort is exerted to provide the cup of water you are drinking now? Do you know that your kidney has the same job but to purify your blood?
Would humanity one day be able to have such an incredible efficient system for wastewater purification as well as your kidney?
When we think deeply we figure out that our kidney acts like a long life lasting perfect membrane, all you have to do is to drink 2 liters of water a day. Wow !
We don’t know what 2023 holds for water sector future but nothing is impossible against the power of science .
7-Graphene Revolutionizes water sector
Recent researches on graphene based materials has shown a great results when applying them in water treatment.
The most important properties making these materials ideal are high surface area, small particle size, free active valences, charge carriers and high mobility, etc
The removal capacity of these materials is very wide-ranging from inorganic to organic water pollutants.
Recently, graphene and its materials are very effective in water treatment through adsorption, photo-degradation, and filtration techniques.
This is due to the several different functional groups and flexibility of operation.
8-Powerful managing network
There is a need to innovate new methods and strategies to detect leaks in a short time. However, WSN always has advanced leak detection network systems to continuously monitor leaks.
In 2023, With more leak monitoring systems installed, there can be significant reduction in the manpower which is required to perform the routine site inspection.
We will start to see companies expanding their business to take care of all network management aspects.
9-Real-time quality monitoring
The Internet of things (IoT) now enables researchers to evaluate their data and insights in real time, no matter where they are.
This is exactly useful for quality monitoring, where downstream pass through several changing conditions.
It is important to monitor water quality in real-time, so as to detect contamination earlier and mitigate its spread. It doesn’t make sense to depend only on customers to act as sensors for water quality issues.
It is feasible to continuously check the quality of water in real-time using IoT devices like Raspberry Pi and sensors that measure several factors including temperature, oxygen, and pH.
With the help of computer languages like Python and Julia, this data can be gathered and analysed to help with water sector management practices.
10-Toilets are the high way to water scarcity
One hundred liters of water can be wasted a day due to slow toilets leaks .
The amount of wasted water due to medium leaks is larger , it’s more than 900 liters a day which cost 3.30$
A large leak makes things worst , where your toilet has a constant flow rate of water, spending up to 12000 liters and losing a large amount of money daily.
Also when every person flushes toilets many times a day this will consume too much water which threatens water sustainability.
This year scientists are working on innovative ideas such as air flushing toilets which use air instead of water .
11-Oceanic plastic pollution 2023
In recent years especially 2023 , plastic has been defined as the most harmful products that human have ever manufactured because it can filter through food chain or enter waterways from landfills and poor waste management.
Plastic waste reduction is considered one of water pollution solutions as it’s important to protect our environment and water resources. There are several ways to solve this problem such as :
- Avoid using single-use plastic materials.
- Recycling and water reuse.
Many organizations, such as Ocean Conservancy, are now calling for more cooperation to mitigate and stop ocean plastic pollution.
Many are calling for a shift to a zero-waste circular economy as the only solution to a plastic problem that we can’t recycle away.
12-Smart rainwater storage
Climate change is disrupting weather patterns, leading to sever weather events, sudden fluctuations in water availability.
Water and climate change are inextricably linked as extreme weather events are making water more scarce.
That’s why water sector stakeholders know that smart rainwater storage is useful to store rainwater for any coming future bad circumstances.
There are already smart techniques which depend on weather predictions before gathering water in advance of storm.
Soon water sector will witness a great advance in this technology to store excess water in 2023.
13-Self healing pipes
All water sector leading companies seek to develop a high tech self healing pipe lines to avoid wasting huge amounts of water due to leaks.
Will we start to see water pipes that can repair itself in 2023?
14-Robots penetrates water sector networks
2023 will be the year of several whole variety of robots, sensors, drones which will be considered as a great revolution in water industry world.
Also a variety of water and sewerage pipes, mapping networks, detecting leaks, checking pipe integrity, searching for blockages, and undertaking repairs.
All these modern techniques have AI and IOT functionality and can therefore expect as well as detect failure.
15-Prop-tech meets water tech
2023 will see a rise in the adoption of water technology, from intelligent water consumption controls to leak detection for buildings, for structures, and this is desperately needed.
This market is currently small since few startups have created building-related technologies.
16-Replacing the nations’ toxic lead pipes
New technologies and innovations are coming out everyday and shading the light on how municipalities can replace lead pipes and moreover help digitizing paper records, locate LSLs and create visual tools.
Finding and mapping lead service lines through inventories is one of the first steps in developing a successful lead service line replacements( LSLR) and includes good record-keeping and data-management practices.
Costs to replace lead pipes vary greatly, and cost savings need to be explored.Lead service line replacements (LSLR) for one pipe, before inflation, was as low as $1,200 in some parts of the Midwest and up to $27,000 in Chicago.
In 2023, the question is: How do we position more communities across the country to replace their lead pipes?
17-water sector strategies to conserve water
As humans, we all know how vital water is to our survival. Without water, we can’t do our daily activities like cooking food ,taking a shower or drinking water.
let’s explore some important facts about water conservation to keep our water in a good condition.
Water conservation basically refers to the activity of using water sensibly so that it is constantly accessible to all living beings. Water conservation ensures that future generations will have access to fresh, clean water just like we have today.
Tips for water conservation
- Be sure to turn off the faucet before shaving or using the bathroom.
- Don’t let the faucet run while doing the dishes.
- Take short, frequent showers as opposed to running the water continuously.
- Try to limit the amount of laundry you do at one time.
18-Wastewater reuse
Water sector increased requirements for effective water management methods due to the world’s growing water scarcity and the rapid population growth in urban areas.
There is a need to find alternative water sources. Wastewater reuse is done with due consideration for cleanliness, public health, and environmental protection in developed country cities and regions where wastewater collection and treatment are standard practices.
Reusing treated wastewater from homes, businesses, cities, industries, and other commercial entities is useful for the water cycle, groundwater quality, and soil and public health. There won’t be any negative effects in terms of groundwater or soil quality degradation.
19-It’s time to unlock the chain of forever chemical
The elimination and destruction of PFAS has gained significant study attention in recent years. Research on this subject is still very much needed , though it’s crucial to acknowledge right away that there are currently no technologies available that can completely remove PFAS when disruptive species are present.
The amount of PFAS that enters the urban water cycle could be reduced if landfills can treat PFAS before they enter the nearby waterways.
An improvement of PFAS detection methods should be vigorously sought to provide less expensive and more effective detection measures given that the federal PFAS exposure standards are anticipated to be promulgated soon.
20-Localized infrastructure
Businesses stepping off the grid and using more rainwater will result in a move this year towards a more localized and distributed infrastructure on a global scale.
21-Tailored wastewater treatment
The use of biological treatments is nothing new, but new start-ups are creating increasingly sophisticated tailored treatments for rivers, coastal waters, and treatment facilities that are specifically created to deliver a specific result and act quickly to do so (e.g. enzyme treatments), as opposed to the current generic treatments.
22-Domestic grey-water
Use of indoor domestic water can be reduced by 30% by just taking shower water and flushing the toilet with it.
Household grey-water costs and carbon footprints have decreased over the last couple of years, and this year we’ll start to see a wide-scale roll out of economical, low-maintenance domestic grey-water, especially in new constructions.
Similar to nature-based solutions, there aren’t many start-ups in this industry due to the nature of the business.
23-The future of algal blooms
Although reducing dangerous algal blooms won’t be simple, progress is more likely to be made with teamwork.
The statewide initiative includes plans for growing cover crops and creating new wetlands.
However, there are still alternative choices. In a recent study, University of California-Davis researchers looked into ways to grow rice with less fertilizer.
They think that altering the crops to create a chemical that stimulates soil microbes to fix nitrogen would enable less reliance on fertilizers.
It can take some time before these initiatives become popular. However, they draw attention to some of the intriguing alternatives.
Harmful algal blooms sequences
The aquatic organisms known collectively as algae provide the surrounding aquatic ecosystems with vital nutrients and oxygen through photosynthesis.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs), on the other hand, happen when algae growth gets out of control and threatens both aquatic life above and below the water’s surface.
The so-called “dead zones,” where the water has little to no oxygen, can also be caused by nutrient pollution.
There are more than 160 dead zones in the United States, the largest of which is in the Gulf of Mexico.
Every summer, the Mississippi River Basin’s nutrient contamination generates the dead zone.
Concerned individuals claim that these effects have prompted the need to combat dangerous algal blooms.
Research, regulation, tracking, and reduction are all ongoing processes. A closer look at what’s going on is provided here.
Harmful algal blooms mitigation trials
Individual farmers can reduce the agricultural runoff that causes HABs by making some smart and doable decisions.
The long-lasting changes, however, are more likely to come from decision-makers who can use their position of authority and influence to create the conditions for advancement.
Legislators and others would do well to give HAB mitigation a priority right now.
In a similar way, concerned professionals and common people might exert pressure on those parties through petitions and other forms of group action.
People with knowledge of the subject can identify the negative consequences brought on by hazardous algae blooms.
They must now take action to encourage advancements in agriculture and other industries.
24-Benchmarking as a tool to optimize operations and lower GHG emissions
An international challenge facing the water sector is the race to net zero.
Technology and digitalization are vital tools for reducing energy use and water waste, but gathering data is also crucial for putting high-tech solutions into practice, prioritising investments and efforts, and advancing digitalization.
By gathering a wide range of data from the operations of water utilities, analysing them, and publishing a report where the utilities are benchmarked across various economic and performance data points like water loss, energy use, and investments, benchmarking is a tool that can reveal the potential for optimization for the utilities and enable data-driven decision-making.
Through decades of benchmarking in the Danish water sector, we have discovered that water utilities can utilise the data to share experiences with rivals and make informed choices about anything from contracts to investments.
Knowledge sharing is essential, both locally and globally. We are experiencing great interest in Danish experiences and solutions in the U.S., which we are facilitating through our Water Technology Alliance and our partnership with the US Water Alliance and the [Danish] Water and Wastewater Association,” said Consul General of Denmark in Chicago and head of water, Jesper Køks Andersen.
25-Industry 5.0 and water management
Understanding the utilization of natural resources or their environmental stress areas is one of the first steps they can take. One such statistic is carbon footprint.
Companies may also set out to quantify the volume of waste they generate or the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions they emit.
Another is figuring out the true cost of water and a water balance. Setting sustainability performance targets that can be assessed and enhanced . With help from the Industry 4.0 technology tool kit can be made easier by systematizing these measures.
With a healthy online water balance, plant operators can locate the best opportunities to intervene in the plant to use water more efficiently or develop circular and closed-loop solutions that recycle and reuse process water.
When a plant starts gathering data automatically and integrates the data with algorithms to improve each process, including how each asset functions in terms of water conservation, real progress may be made.
26-Water Resource Management
Effective water resource management is critical to ensure that water resources are used sustainably. Technology is helping in this area by providing solutions for water resource management, such as smart metering and water allocation systems.
These systems help to monitor and manage water usage, reducing waste and improving the efficiency of water resource management.
27-Atomized flow
Although it is simple to reduce flow rates for faucets and showers by 90%, the technique has not gained much support up to this point.
However, with several large merchants utilizing this technology, the cost and availability are likely to decrease, and a revolution in hand washing and bathing could soon occur.
28-Personalized water
We all want to stand out, receive first-class service, and receive benefits beyond the standard package.
We do not obtain this from water, but rather from our banks, media firms, and cell phone providers. Customer service in water sector must also be a focus of innovation.
29-Flood Management
Floods can have a wide range impact on citizens and the environment. Technology is helping to address this issue by providing innovative solutions for flood management.
For example, early warning systems use real-time data to predict and manage the risk of floods, while smart drainage systems can help to manage and mitigate the impact of floods on communities.
In conclusion, technology is playing an increasingly important role in addressing the various water-related challenges of our time.
From water conservation and reuse to desalination, water quality monitoring, water resource management, and flood management, the latest trends in water technology offer a glimpse into a more sustainable future.
By staying ahead of the curve and embracing these advancements, we can ensure that our water resources are managed efficiently and sustainably for generations to come.
30-Everything comes from and returns to nature
Nature-based solutions have a high tech relevance in delivering sustainable urban drainage, natural flood alleviation, and catchment management for water quality.
There are no start-ups have been set up regarding this area, because of the need to find the right business model, hopefully, this will change over the coming year.
References
[1]https://kh.aquaenergyexpo.com
[2]https://kh.aquaenergyexpo.com
[1] https://worldpopulationreview.com/
[4] https://www.researchgate.net/
[9]https://constrofacilitator.com/
[10] https://www.collegesearch.in/
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