07 Jul aqua3S joins four EU Horizon 2020 projects to create the synergy group DigitalWater2020
As part of the European Commission H2020 program, aqua3S, Digital Water City, Fiware4Water, NAIADES and SCORE Water have created the Synergy Group DigitalWater2020 to increase the impacts of their outcomes to address digital water-related issues and societal challenges such as climate change adaptation.
The digital dimension of water management is perceived as a critical way to develop extensive knowledge of the water cycle and the impact of climate change on the water cycle. One path considered by DigitalWater2020 is to bridge for practical results implementation in local communities in areas such as adaptation to climate change. DigitalWater2020 is settling for the improvement of climate change resilience by minimising the use of energy for the management and operation of water systems, using real-time data analytics and interoperability. DigitalWater2020 considers the digital dimension but is also fully aware of the importance of social and political engagement. Therefore, activities carried out by the DigitalWater2020 projects also aim at reducing the environmental footprint of water-dependent activities by raising social awareness through interactions with the stakeholders about water use and water efficiency through smart water applications.
To address the digital water-related issues, DigitalWater2020 has set task forces to work on different themes (see graph n° DigitalWater2020 task forces). Taskforce n°1 is dedicated to Fiware and ontology as all the projects involved in DigitalWAter2020 are working with the FIWARE platform. Fiware4Water F4W is dedicated to the use of FIWARE in the water sector, while SCOREwater, NAIADES and aqua3S develop all their digital solutions FIWARE compatible. Finally, DWC aims at using FIWARE for the development of two digital solutions. There is a clear need to exchange best practices on the use of FIWARE for the development of digital solutions in order to solve technical issues linked to the design and architecture of the solutions and the integration of multiple data sources into the platform. Another example is the work that will be developed to address sensors and demonstration issues (task force n°2). Each of the 5 projects has an ambitious monitoring program including the development of new sensors and the deployment of real-time sensors to collect data on the behaviour on systems and infrastructures.
DigitalWater2020 builds on the project’s synergies to exchange and benefit from each other’s development, research, communication and outreach. In the end, the value of data and information to support decision making will be better demonstrated and hopefully, innovative water digital solutions will be brought to the market and achieve a wide uptake among utilities, municipalities, SMEs and start-up, software industry and the general public.