Editors’ introduction

Abstract

Smart water management refers to the use of advanced information and communications technologies (ICTs) to improve water management and provision of services, including supply, treatment, conservation and disaster control. These technologies have the potential to increase efficiency and effectiveness in water provision, while reducing energy consumption, and facilitating the management of water-related risks and disasters. Smart water management can also help to improve water quality by providing real-time monitoring and control of water pollution levels, allowing prompt and effective responses to protect public health and the environment. (Nickum et al., 2020). Smart water technologies are developing rapidly in many parts of the world, providing an evolving set of innovative tools and solutions. The use of ICTs is frequently presented as a powerful strategy for ‘smart’ development, that is, economic development that encompasses and environmental sustainability (Office of Sustainable Communities, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2016; European Investment Bank, 2017). In a context of urbanization and climate change, the need to find innovative solutions that can help to address these challenges has become increasingly important. The integration of cutting-edge technologies and data analytics promises to provide ways to enhance water governance by addressing the challenges facing the sector. Smart technologies, such as sensor networks, superfast cloud and edge computing, digitalization of infrastructures and control systems, etc., are permeating much of our daily lives worldwide and affect our usage and relationship with water management. Many developed countries have embraced the digitalization of the water sector as a strategy to optimize the use of water resources, reduce waste and improve water quality. Germany’s ‘Water 4.0’ initiative, the United States’ ‘Digitizing Utilities’ programme, Israel with its ‘Digital Israel’ strategy or Singapore with its ‘Smart Nation’ approach, amongst others, have put at the centre of their national strategies the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water management, from water collection to decision-making. The private sector is also supporting these efforts to modernize infrastructure by leveraging digital technologies. Initiatives such as ‘Digital Water Platform’ by MWH/Stantec, ‘Industry 4.0 Water’ by Deloitte or ‘Smart Water Solutions’ by Siemens seek to increase the take-up by water utilities and others of digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics (Leflaive et al., 2020). Moreover, many countries and organizations have developed approaches to facilitate investment and technological exchange through overseas development assistance (ODA) (Yangyang Li et al., 2023) In China, smart water management has become a critical issue. China’s growing urban population and rapid economic development has made increasing demands for water resources to support agricultural, industrial and domestic needs. At the same time, WATER INTERNATIONAL 2023, VOL. 48, NO. 3, 305–308 https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2023.2204627