Project Number: 50031-001 TA Number: 9138 November 2020
People's Republic of China: Facility for Strengthening Policy Reform and Capacity Building (Integrated Resource Conservation in Tianjin–Smart Water)
SMART WATER STRATEGIES Smart Water Management for Smart Cities in the
People's Republic of China
Prepared by: Joe Q. Zhao, Melissa Alipalo, and Wencan Yu
This report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents.
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CONTENTS
FIGURES, BOXES, CASE STUDIES ...... 4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... 5
ABSTRACT ...... 5
ABBREVIATIONS ...... 6
I. INTRODUCTION ...... 7
II. SMART CITY, SMART WATER...... 11 A. Smart Water Management: A Key Component of a Smart City ...... 12
III. THE BASICS OF SMART WATER ...... 16 A. Conventional versus Smart ...... 16 B. Principles ...... 16 C. The Path toward Smart Water ...... 17 D. Mutual Benefits ...... 18 Box 1. Benefits of Smart Water Management Implementation ...... 20
IV. THE ARCHITECTURE OF SMART WATER SYSTEMS ...... 23 A. Four ICT Components of Smart Water ...... 23 B. Integration Architecture for Smart Water System...... 23 C. How the Frameworks and Layers Work Together ...... 25 D. The Four Vertical Frameworks ...... 26 E. The Five Layers ...... 26
V. IDENTIFYING THE SCOPE OF SYSTEMS AND BUILDING A ROAD MAP ...... 30 A. The Needed Policy Mandate for a Smart Water System ...... 30 B. Three Subsystems of a Smart Water System ...... 30 C. A Road Map to Smart Water Management ...... 32 D. A Three-Phased Approach ...... 33 E. Capacity Building for Smart Water Management ...... 35 F. An Indicative Implementation Timeframe for Three-Phase Approach ...... 36
VI. LEVERAGING POLICY, SMART WATER FOR LIVABLE CITIES ...... 40 A. Smart Water Management for Livable Cities ...... 41 B. Policy Support ...... 41 C. Stakeholder Support ...... 43 D. Improved Decision Making ...... 44
REFERENCES ...... 45 Appendix 1: Persons Supporting the Study ...... 47
Appendix 2: National Smart City Policies from the People's Republic of China ...... 48
Appendix 3: National Smart Water Policies from the People's Republic of China ...... 50
Appendix 4: Sustainable Development Goals and Smart Water Management ...... 52
Appendix 5: Recommended Implementation Timeframe for the Smart Water System ...... 56
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FIGURES, BOXES, CASE STUDIES
FIGURES
1 Information and Communication Technology Components Supporting Smart Water 24 2 Architecture of Smart Water System 25
BOX 1 Benefits of Smart Water Management Implementation 20
CASE STUDY BOXES 1 The Need, Potential, and Readiness of Jinghai District to Model Smart Water 10 Development
2 Korea's Global Water Utility Brand Shares Knowledge of Smart Water Management in 14 Exceptional Volume of Global Case Studies
3 Smart Water Meters in Shenzhen Get Even Smarter, More Secure 15
4 Singapore's Smart Water Grid 22
5 Tongzhou District's Smart Water Management Platform 28
6 Huangshan Proves Early, Timely Strategy is Key to Momentum, Progress on Smart 37 Development
7 South Asian Cities Benefit from Joint ADB, K-water Technical Assistance to Launch, 39 Advance Smart Water Management 5
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Alan Baird, Principal Urban Development Specialist at the Asian Development Bank, provided guidance to the technical and editorial team in the development of this working paper. Representatives of institutions and independent specialist consultants within the People's Republic of China shared experiences and provided guidance to the case studies, background and technical statements and ideas presented in this paper. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of officials from the PRC that supported the work that serves as a basis for this paper. The Urban Sector Group of ADB's Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department also provided technical and editorial support for this paper.
ABSTRACT
Information communication technologies (ICT) presents water service providers with new, transformative opportunities for more efficient water management and opportunities improved services to their customers. In particular, ICT allows for strengthened water security, enhanced sustainable development, and more profound resilience against the impacts of climate change and water-related disasters and organic hardships from natural landscapes and challenging environmental conditions. The application of ICT to water management is known as smart water. It is characterized by automation for predictive rather than reactive management, remote monitoring for comprehensive system overviews and real-time decision making, and prediction for early warning systems. Smart water solutions exist from end-to-end in the water value chain, including in the management of water resources (both surface water and groundwater), through to all facets of urban water management including water supply, wastewater management, sanitation, drainage, stormwater, and finally in the management of byproducts. Smart water management can support emergency responses in times of an extended dry season, drought, exceptional storms, and associated flooding. ICT has minimal impact when applied piecemeal and is most impactful when pursued under a long-term vision articulated in policies, strategy, implementation roadmaps, and technical architecture to turn the vision of a sustainable water system into a reality. Strong leadership, committed financial resources, and consumer endorsement create a robust framework for pursuing digital transformation.
In this working paper, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) advocates for water service providers to develop smart water strategies and roadmaps. This paper offers guidance on particular issues that a water service provider may consider in maximizing the impacts of its ICT investments by explaining the objectives and approaches of smart water as a means for improving water management, enhancing water services, and reinforcing emergency preparedness. A smart city vision and smart water strategy are the foundation for building security into water management and services. The authors explain policies, approaches, and the typical basic structure and contents of a comprehensive smart water system and strategy. This paper’s thinking has its origins in technical assistance1 that ADB provided to Jinghai District, a rural district that has been engulfed by the sprawl of the more affluent Tianjin City. It resembles many of the PRC’s secondary cities and large towns and the development predicaments of fringe suburbs of megacities. ADB helped the district study its water system and develop a smart water strategy and roadmap, which could serve as a model for other similar districts. The paper speaks to water service providers throughout the Asia-Pacific region in presenting the perspective, approach, and practices in the People's Republic of China (PRC), which has one of the world's most advanced policy frameworks for smart city development, but also includes case studies from elsewhere in the region. The paper provides a practical overview of smart water systems. It provides examples of ICT applications, essential data types, the benefits that a clear implementation plan offers, and the phased timeline for transitioning from the management of a conventional reactive water system to a proactive smart water management system.
1 ADB. People’s Republic of China: Facility for Strengthening Policy Reform and Capacity Building. www.adb.org/projects/50031-001/main 6
ABBREVIATIONS
ADB Asian Development Bank AI artificial intelligence AMR automatic meter reading GB/T Guobiao tuījiàn or "recommended national standard" GIS geographic information system ICT information and communication technology IoT Internet of Things K2 square kilometer KPI key performance indicator m3 cubic meter NB-IoT narrow band internet of things PRC People’s Republic of China SCADA supervisory control and data acquisition WWTP wastewater treatment plant 7
I. INTRODUCTION
The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized the role of water supply and wastewater services in protecting public health, especially in emergency or crises. The pandemic has also identified new safety measures and enhanced operational procedures for water service providers to improve their means to respond while maintaining services. The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity for water service providers to improve their management systems and consider the solutions that information communication technologies (ICT) offer. ICT is rapidly transforming the sector, offering new and better solutions to longstanding system vulnerabilities. To join the digital revolution in cities and other public services, water service providers need a robust ICT strategy and a coherent implementation plan. This is essential in designing systems and choosing applications for smart water management which have the potential for technological synthesis with other systems in use across the wider urban sector.
Defining smart water accurately and comprehensively is challenging. Both “smart cities” and “smart water” use the internet of things (IoT), cloud services, and other ICTs to collect data from across the water system to improve operational functions and management decisions. Smart water uses various platforms, models, and applications for data analysis and simulation. It employs big data and data mining technologies to automate operational functions traditionally managed on a more manual basis. The data analysis generated by smart systems informs management’s decision-making on a range of water management functions and tasks, from daily operational matters to unanticipated events and their impacts. Smart water can take the form of standalone applications or a comprehensive and integrated system that covers the management of the entire water cycle: from water abstraction, conveyance, treatment, utilization, through to wastewater treatment, discharge, and reuse.
The digital revolution is happening. The International Data Corporation reported in October 2019 that worldwide investments in digital transformation technologies and services would total $7.4 trillion between 2019 and 2023. 2 As positively disruptive as technology has been to traditional infrastructure and management systems, strategic adoption can help improve the security of infrastructure and the quality of services. Conventional or traditional reactive water management relies on analog data, manual operations, and less-informed decision-making. In contrast, remote monitoring and control across an entire water system coupled with the integration of data into other urban management systems can help overcome shocks and stresses. This may help address water scarcity or flooding. It may also help ameliorate the kind of disruptions and restrictions experienced during public health emergencies such as COVID-19, where noted impacts have included restrictions on workforce mobility.
Water service providers, along with other public service providers in cities, need to consider more generous data sharing and data integration to improve the robustness and timeliness of their decision-making processes. Water service providers can increase their system and operational resilience with strategic ICT. Through a single, comprehensive, integrated, automated digital platform (a smart water system), water service providers can build up their capacity for remote operations across crucial business functions, such as remote water quality monitoring and determination of corrective actions, and for better customer service function including meter reading, billing, and collection.
ICT is redefining the development landscape. Water service providers should be prioritizing their digital transformation now. Urbanization rates should also be compelling water service providers to take-up smart water management. Small and medium-sized cities in Asia are growing faster than larger mega-cities. Asia's urbanization will likely increase to 78% by 2050.3 More efficient and effective water services are needed to meet the 2050 scenario that will unfold over the coming decades. Water service providers need assistance
2 International Data Corporation. 2019. "Worldwide spending on digital transformation will reach $2.3 trillion in 2023." Smart Water Magazine. https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/international-data-corporation-idc/worldwide- spending-digital-transformation-will-reach-23 3 United Nations. 2014. World Urbanization Prospects. New York. 8
in developing smart water management strategies and master plans to protect those investments from unforeseen limitations and premature obsoleteness. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is scaling up its promotion and incorporation of innovative technologies and digital solutions into project designs across the water sector, including smart network management, remote sensing, geographical information systems (GIS), and real-time data generation, and digital technologies including for payment. Smart water systems enable the accurate generation of data and, by default, bring opportunities for new levels of oversight, data sharing, and engagement by water service providers, water users, regulators, and city managers alike.
ADB has been supporting the study of ICT application for smart cities and smart water management across the region. The development of smart water strategies could provide models for other cities and water service providers experiencing similar water challenges. For example, the severe water scarcity problem in the most prosperous Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has forced water service providers to think more strategically and aggressively on how ICT can achieve more efficient water management.4 In its operational experience, ADB operation staff and consulting teams have identified the need for developing smart water strategies to guide water service providers in understanding and harnessing the potential of ICT for development.
This working paper provides a practical overview of smart water management developments in the PRC, which emphasized the need for sound ICT strategy and roadmaps. This paper’s thinking has its origins in technical assistance5 that ADB provided to Jinghai District, a formal rural district that has been engulfed by the urban sprawl of Tianjin City, in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (Case Study Box 1). Jinghai District resembles many of the PRC’s secondary cities and large towns and the development predicaments of fringe suburbs of megacities. ADB helped the district study its water system and develop a high-level smart water strategy and outline roadmap, which could serve as a model for other similar districts. Much of the knowledge gained from providing technical assistance to Jinghai is valuable for sharing with those working in smart water development and urban water services and is presented here.
Section two of this paper gives a general overview of smart city development and smart water development. Section three explains the basics of smart water. Section four explains the underlying architecture of smart water management systems for effective and sustainable implementation. The fifth section outlines the critical systems, and a suggested implementation road map timeline. Section five presents policy recommendations that would strengthen the future development of smart water management.6 Case studies at the end of most sections provide examples of smart water management in practice.
(i) Case Study Box 1 summarizes the Jinghai district's situation, which provided most of the inputs for this paper. A specialist team worked with the district government to develop a tailored smart water strategy. (ii) Case Study Box 2 is a brief profile of the global smart water leader Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), the government agency for comprehensive water resource development in the Republic of Korea. It has been a part of developing smart water projects internationally and championing global knowledge-sharing on smart water management principles, technology, good practices, and lessons.
4 The availability of renewable water resources in the region is only 286 cubic meters (m3) per capita per year, which is 12.5% of the national average. In Tianjin, water resource availability is 370 m3 per capita per year, which is about 18% of the national average and just short of three-quarters of the global “extreme water shortage” defined as 500 m3 per year. 5 ADB. People’s Republic of China: Facility for Strengthening Policy Reform and Capacity Building. 6 The authors did not visit the case study site or evaluate their activities and outcomes however the case studies demonstrate the potential of smart water applications and activities. The Jinghai District case study is based on an ADB technical assistance and therefore more comprehensive. 9
(iii) Case Study Box 3 demonstrates the importance of strategy and resources for momentum. Huangshan city, a prefecture-level municipality in Anhui Province, in the PRC was an early participant of a national program on smart city development. (iv) Case Study Box 4 provides a brief look at the partnership between Shenzhen Water Group Ltd. (one of the PRC's leading water service providers) and Huawei Technologies Group, Ltd. and China Telecom Corporation Ltd. Shenzhen Subsidiary. Together, they introduced the Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Smart Water Solution, the first program of its kind in the world. (v) Case Study Box 5 features the WaterWiSe system developed by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and Visenti Pte. Ltd. It comprises about 300 wireless sensors for real-time monitoring of hydraulic and water quality parameters in the water supply network. WaterWiSe system reportedly prevents three to five pipe bursts or leak events per kilometer.7
(vi) Case Study Box 6 features one of the PRC's most comprehensive smart water systems Tongzhou district, a part of Beijing City. It intends to cover the entire water cycle: from water source management to water supply, and through to wastewater management, and flood control and drainage.
(vii) Case Study Box 7 features the collaboration between ADB and the Republic of Korea's (K-water) to help water service providers in South Asian cities overcome various operational challenges with ICT.8 A major output of the technical assistance project was developing customized smart water strategies and business plans for each city.
7 Allen, Michael, Ami Preis, Mudasser Iqbal and Andrew J. Whittle. “Case Study: a Smart Water Grid in Singapore.” Water Practice & Technology 7, no. 4 (November 26, 2012): 1–8. 8 ADB. 2015. Regional: Promoting Smart Drinking Water Management in South Asian Cities. Manila. 10
Case Study Box 1: The Need, Potential, and Readiness of Jinghai District to Adopt Smart Water
Improving water management and service delivery efficiency is a challenge in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and an opportunity for transitioning to a smart water system. Being one of the most water-scarce regions in the PRC, water stewardship is crucial to sustainability. Jinghai District in Tianjin Municipality is in the center of the region, and its success in water management could generate best practices that impact the development of the entire region. It covers 1,476 square kilometers (km2) and has a total population of 780,000 across 384 villages in 18 townships. It developed on low-lying land within the Hai River watershed, where there are eight main rivers, 327 canals, one reservoir, and 24 pumping stations for drainage and irrigation. Groundwater from over 3,000 deep wells is the primary source of water supply for residents and agriculture. Rural areas get their water supply from 30 onsite groundwater treatment plants and the water mains from the urban water utility Tianjin Water Group Ltd (TWG). The region is classified as a water-scarce despite a variety of renewable freshwater resources. The availability of those renewable water resources is only 286 cubic meters (m3) per capita per year, 12.5% of the national average. In Tianjin, water resource availability is 370 cubic meters (m3) per capita per year, which is about 18% of the national average and just short of three-quarters of the global “extreme water shortage” defined as 500 m3 per capita per year. The region depends on the South–to–North Water Diversion Project, a significant national investment to relieve water scarcity in the industrialized north and northeast. Since the 1980s, groundwater has become increasingly contaminated. Surface water has also deteriorated in quality and quantity. There are 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with a total design capacity of 133,000 cubic meters per day (m3/day) ranging from 500 m3/day to 20,000 m3/ day for domestic wastewater only. The Jinghai district government proposed developing a smart water strategy to achieve effective water management and safety of the overall water system. ADB provided a technical assistance (TA) grant to work with the district government to develop a smart water strategy.1 The strategy aligns with Jinghai’s circumstances and economic development goals. The smart water strategic study program began in July 2017 and was concluded by December 2018. It identified water challenges, introduced ICT principles, presented national and international best practices, and recommended a road map to implement a comprehensive smart water system in Jinghai District. The strategic study results can further guide the feasibility studies and engineering designs for smart water projects in the district. Through its dissemination and the influence of its findings on future smart water investments, the study and road map should lead to significant improvements in water efficiency and security in Jinghai District and, by replication, throughout the wider region. Significant elements of the study have informed the development of this working paper. 1 ADB. People’s Republic of China: Facility for Strengthening Policy Reform and Capacity Building. Source: The authors.
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II. SMART CITY, SMART WATER
Smart water management is ideally a part of a more extensive smart city system. ICT supports integrated systems for urban research, urban planning, and management in the full urban context. Smart city applications integrate real-time data from networked urban infrastructure, administrative applications, and operations. It has become increasingly popular worldwide. The PRC is considered a leader in policy, technology development, and piloting of smart city programs, while the Republic of Korea has become an international leader in smart water implementation and knowledge sharing (Case Study Box 2).
The PRC generally defines "smart city" as "a new concept to promote intelligent urban planning, building, management, and service by using the new generation of information technology, such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, spatial geographic information integration."9 Between 2012 and 2017, more than ten smart city policies were approved at the national level (Appendix 2). Many of them support a national initiative to select and evaluate municipalities for implementing smart city programs. These policies provide a clear vision for municipalities, and the policy-oriented approach can effectively stimulate the development of smart cities countrywide.
In general, the PRC's smart city policies evolved over four phases during the past decade. The first phase of policies introduced smart city systems and the government's master plans for smart city development, including long-term government plans, options for construction schemes, methods for project management, etc. The second phase provided specific action plans that correspond to the government's master plans. They detail the smart city development targets and the main tasks to achieve the goals of the master plans. The third phase issued specific opinions and general guidance on smart cities' sound development, such as the principles and the main tasks in smart city development. The fourth category provides national-level guidance on smart city pilot project development, which has been implemented by multiple central ministries and commissions. This category of policies covers the requirements and procedures for pilot application, the implementation management of pilot projects, and the criteria for evaluating performance of project pilots. Since 2018, the PRC has issued numerous additional guidance papers on smart city development. The guidance notes cover high-level design, IoT applications, IT operations, information security, etc. These are essential in promoting the application of smart technologies, for providing clear directions for system developers, and facilitating the integration of individual systems at the application level.
To put policy into action, the PRC's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) selected more than 500 cities to participate in a smart city pilot program. The program has helped in the digitization of municipal management systems and processes in select cities —to help with the initial steps to transition into "smart cities." As of early 2019, a PRC industry study placed the total number of smart cities pilot projects in the PRC at nearly 800, including approximately 300 projects certified by MOHURD, the largest sponsor for such initiatives, as well as projects supported by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and other ministries. Most cities in the PRC have proposed or are developing more comprehensive smart city programs as defined by the government criteria for a smart city. The financial value of investments made by these initial 500 smart cities is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion RMB during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (by late 2020).10
9 People's Republic of China. Office of the Central Cyberspace Administration of China. http://www.cac.gov.cn/2014- 08/27/c_1112850680.htm 10 FORWARD Business Information Co., Ltd. 2017. Report of Prospects and Investment Forecast on China Smart City Construction (2018-2023). Shenzhen. 12
To evaluate the progress and achievements of the 500 pilot cities, the NDRC conducted two rounds of evaluations in 2016 and 2018, using a general framework of indicators.11 Before each evaluation, the NDRC issued a notice specifying the evaluation methods, procedures, indicators, and required materials. A closer look at the 2018 evaluation indicators suggests opportunities for further national guidance on the concept and implementation of smart water management. Two indicators in the 2018 smart city evaluation indicator system partially relate to smart water elements:
(i) Urban service indicator. Water service providers shall offer consumers an online bill payment option, preferably with a mobile internet application.
(ii) Urban management indicator: one part of this indicator involves the rate of "municipal pipeline network smart monitoring and management rate.” This rate is a measurement of the ratio of length of municipal pipeline network equipped with smart monitoring technologies to the total length of municipal pipeline network. The municipal pipeline network includes water supply pipelines (water mains and small pipes before connecting to households), gas pipes, heat pipelines, etc.
There is an opportunity within the body of smart city policies and guidelines to emphasize smart water management, particularly with a clear definition or criteria for smart water. Water service providers need to understand better the general requirements of a smart water system and the purpose of ICT and its information outputs as an input for decision-making that considers the entire water cycle. The lack of confidence and understanding of smart water systems has led to slow implementation in some cases (Case Study Box 3). The Ministry of Water Resources has issued policies, technical guidelines, and standards specific to promote smart water (Appendix 3). Expanding the smart city policies with the same degree of guidance for smart water management would prompt municipalities to include smart water in their smart city development strategy and plans. Greater attention to smart water in future iterations of a city’s smart city framework is one way to promote a broader scope, application, and understanding of smart water management.
A. Smart Water Management: A Key Component of a Smart City
The objective of a smart water system is to improve water service providers' capacity and decision-making. In many countries, especially those in developed regions, urban water service providers have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) and ICT in managing their water systems efficiently and effectively. Comprehensive, integrated smart water systems can reduce water losses, increase energy efficiency, improve water sources' sustainability, and provide better customer service.
Robust smart water management systems aim to ensure water resource sustainability, improve water utilization efficiency, enhance services to consumers, and protect the water environment. There is no catch- all definition for smart water, and it is hard to verify what kind of level of "smartness" qualifies as "smart water." It is, and perhaps should remain, a general term referring to the digitization and artificial intelligence of management systems for application in ways that meet a city's needs and the operational requirements of its water service providers.
The PRC speaks of "smart water conservancy" for smart water resource management and "smart water utility" smart water management. Smart water conservancy applies ICT for better water resource management, regardless of the source (lakes, rivers, canals, groundwater, stormwater, etc.) The most common uses of ICT in water resource management are for remote monitoring of water level and water
11 Standardization Administration of [People's Republic of] China. 2017. Evaluation Model and General Evaluation Indicator System for Smart Cities – Part 1: General Framework and Requirements for Developing Evaluation Sub- indicators. (GB/T 34680.1-2017). 13 quality in key natural water bodies and reservoirs, precipitation distribution, groundwater quality, groundwater extraction amounts, and water discharge amount, as well as video surveillance of dikes, dams, reservoirs, etc. On the other hand, smart water utility refers to the application of ICT to all or some of the functions of water utility management. ICT applications for smart water utilities are typical for remote monitoring of pipeline system performance, drinking water quality, customer consumption, and non- revenue water management. It also includes the service function, such as metering, billing, and payment. The ideal is using ICT in providing customer service through online and mobile applications. Together, smart water conservancy and smart water utility cover the entire water process. This paper uses "smart water management" to refer to the use of ICT to manage urban water systems and services.
Different levels of “smart readiness”. The more developed cities of the PRC have pursued smart water as a comprehensive management tool for various management purposes, i.e., river water quality monitoring, sponge city development, water supply systems, stormwater management, and wastewater management. However, different cities and their water challenges are highly variable, but they should share the same three objectives, which can guide the digital transformation:
(i) Economic sustainability. Municipal government needs to pool data from across departments and agencies through automation to support the demands of complex decisions on day-to-day management and look ahead to future needs for expansion and to the overall security and resilience of a city's investments and infrastructure.
(ii) Social responsibility. A city must add value to residents and businesses in the form of opportunity, productivity, efficiency, quality of life, and prosperity. As the personal and corporate spheres integrate ICT into their daily lives and routines, water service providers can leverage technology for greater inclusivity and meaningful improvements for all its customers and stakeholders.
(iii) Environmental sustainability. The management systems that govern water resources, water supply, wastewater management, and water-related disasters are being recognized in the PRC as meriting increasing scrutiny and improvements. Integrated management systems, preferably the singular systems for specific departments (a silo approach versus a networked approach), are needed by urban planners and decision-makers to address rapid urbanization, climate change, and a range of other drivers of change.
These three common objectives—the triple bottom line—for cities and water service providers can form a foundation for building smart water management systems. They can inherently guide leaders in understanding smart water's potential for their cities, helping to inform their choices, and inspire change in the bureaucracy toward greater integration and data sharing. Whereas system compatibility is essential to citywide ICT's longevity and effectiveness, it inherently assumes a legal basis and institutional willingness for inter-agency data sharing. A stronger form of engagement would create a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of a city's performance and where corrective action is needed to complete the necessary changes and/or improvements. The ability of ICT to support decision-making, especially in emergency and rapidly developing situations, is only as good as the system’s quality of data and its ease of accessibility (in relevant forms and degrees of integration). Clear national-level criteria for what qualifies as "smart" would help governments at local levels to evaluate smart water systems, which may employ different and wide-ranging choices of applications to suit their needs, capacity, and budgets.
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Case Study Box 2: Korea's Global Water Utility Brand Shares Knowledge of Smart Water Management
Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water)—the government agency for comprehensive water resource development in the Republic of Korea—has become an international leader adopting smart water management, developing its tools and technologies to resolve various water challenges and promoting smart water globally. Using some of the world's most advanced technology, K-water manages the Seoul Metropolitan Water Supply Operation Center. It is the world's largest integrated multi-regional (bulk) water supply operation center, overseeing a daily capacity of 790 million cubic meters. K-water, with a large pool of practical engineering expertise regarding water resources, began transitioning to smart water management in 2008 for more efficient and reliable water management. It has been a part of developing smart water projects internationally and championing global knowledge-sharing on smart water management principles, technology, good practices, and lessons. The K-water Academy has become a knowledge destination for water professionals worldwide, conducting about 850 training courses every year for about 53,000 participants.1 Aside from in-house staff programs, the academy also offers tailor-made training programs for local governments, the private sector, foreign water utilities, and international water professionals. By drawing upon Korea's advanced technology and knowledge, K-Water has become a leader in smart water management and an advocate for its implementation in both developed and developing countries. Through smart water management, Korea has addressed some significant challenges in the Korean water sector, including infrastructure maintenance, drought, the economic and environmental waste of non-revenue water and bottled water use, and community perceptions of potable water quality. International Water Resources Association and K-water recently co-published a significant volume of case studies on smart water management. The 496-page report is a collaboration of more than 40 science-based organizations, including several universities. It presents 10 case studies worldwide and nine new or forthcoming smart water projects from both developed and developing countries to demonstrate the potential for smart water management in both contexts. The report looks comprehensively at the projects' implementation, enabling factors and potential barriers, and contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The study uses cross-case analysis to examine the replication and scalable value of each case study. One of the 10 case studies feature the implementation of smart water management in the People's Republic of China for the strategic rehabilitation of overexploited aquifers in Handan, Hebei Province. A PDF of the report, Smart Water Management Case Studies Report, is available at https://www.iwra.org/swm-2/.
1 Nam, J. 2018. "Sustainable Water Management for Smart Cities." Development Asia. https://development.asia/case-study/sustainable-water-management-smart-cities
Source: The authors.
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Case Study Box 3: Huangshan Proves Early, Timely Strategy is Key to Momentum on Smart Water Development
Huangshan city in Anhui province, a popular tourist destination in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is a useful case study on the importance of clear and timely strategy for building momentum. In 2013, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development selected this prefecture-level municipality in Anhui Province to participate in a national program on smart city development. The city may have been a prime candidate, but it was not prepared. Six years passed before the municipal government officially launched the Huangshan New Smart City Development Program. In 2018, the Huangshan Municipal Government issued its Huangshan Smart City Development Plan (2018-2020) and established the Huangshan Data Resource Administration Bureau to take charge of its smart city initiative. That same year, the municipal government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei Technology Co., Ltd to begin implementing actual technical work on the long coming initiative, beginning with establishing cloud computing capabilities. From 2013 to 2019, smart water initiatives were initiated. The approach was not integrated or coordinated. Various water conservancy departments at district and county levels had their plans. They began to separately construct monitoring stations—83 automatic precipitation monitoring stations, 19 automatic water level monitoring stations, 108 automatic precipitation and water level monitoring stations, 547 manual precipitation monitoring stations, 464 sets of wireless warning broadcasting devices, 44 video surveillance stations, 51 image monitoring stations—and an independent torrential flood pre-warning systems. The efforts to digitize water conservation management across Huangshan needed an overall smart water (and smart city) development plan, sufficient infrastructure for data acquisition, capabilities for data integration and mining, and more financial resources. Municipal-level plans on smart water conservancy management could have guided coordination among different districts and counties in Huangshan in more optimal ways. In 2018, Huangshan Water Conservancy Bureau (HWCB) received technical assistance to prepare a $100 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.1 The Huangshan Water Conservancy Bureau initiated the Huangshan Smart Water Conservancy System, a key component of smart water in Huangshan. The smart system covers flood prevention and control management, water resource management, water project management, river chief management, water, soil conservation management, public service, etc. In June 2020, an expert review panel provided a technical review of the Huangshan Smart Water Conservancy System’s preliminary design.2 The Huangshan municipal government approved the review results and the system should start operation in 2021. The system aims for automatic data collection, transmission, integration, sharing, and mining through hardware installation and software development for water conservancy management in Huangshan. Through ADB’s intervention, the smart city development in Huangshan stepped into a new phase by focusing specifically and strategically on the water sector and introducing smart water into the broader smart city scheme. Without this kind of direction in Huangshan, the water conservancy bureaus at the district and county levels worked independently to plan and build smart infrastructures. A leading force was missing to govern smart water system development. Limited technical and financial resources hindered data integration, sharing, and mining in Huangshan, the core of smart systems. Other water service providers can learn from Huangshan’s experience and advocate for smart water development planning at higher levels to guide local government agencies on the current situation, key issues, development objectives and principles, critical tasks, and policy supports. 1 ADB. People's Republic of China: Preparing Yangtze River Economic Belt Projects (to support the preparation of the Anhui Huangshan Xin'an River Ecological Protection and Green Development Project) 2 Huangshan Municipal Government. 2020. Preliminary Design of "Smart Water Conservancy System” Passed the Technical Review (news release). http://www.huangshan.gov.cn/Content/show/2685583.html Source: The authors.
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III. THE BASICS OF SMART WATER
The concept of smart water originates from the use of AI-based technology, which helps water services providers to operate their assets more efficiently. Smart water systems and solutions have been promoted by both information technology firms and water service providers, advocating for more sophisticated water services systems that gather big data and thus harness the powers of artificial intelligence and to drive the automation of water facilities. Smart water solutions have the potential to improve the overall management of the water sector through the integration of ICT and dynamic hydraulic modeling—the core of an AI system. ICT is used to continuously gather data to monitor the performance of water facilities and systems, while a modeling system is essential to analyze operational issues, diagnose problems, and optimize all aspects of a water operation. Smart water solutions also provide information to citizens, communities, regulators, operators, and service providers, whose feedback can be integrated into the governance of water management (Case Study 2).
A. Conventional versus Smart
Compared with the smart water concept, the conventional approach for urban water management is associated with manual operations. This includes the use of manually powered motors and pumps, manual sampling and testing of water quality, manual control of pressure in water distribution networks, empirically operated pumping schedules, handwritten work logs and reports, etc. These traditional operation and management approaches are highly dependent upon the experience and skills of individual operators.
Many water service providers still depend on conventional management and operational control. They do not have improved asset management systems. Their operational regimes and maintenance plans are based on experience, manual instructions, and reactive troubleshooting. They typically use manual billing and payment. They may have adopted some new information technologies, such as smart meters, but they are not integrated and linked to an overall decision-making support system. Where online monitoring equipment and instruments are installed and integrated into the information and control system, the necessary further analysis of such online monitoring information is likely to be limited.
B. Principles
Smart water system must be developed based on local requirements for water management and institutional arrangements, as well as other specific mandates and priorities set by a city’s managers, water service providers, and its residents. Regardless of local needs, though, any smart water system must have improved efficiency as its driving principle. Water-use efficiency and energy efficiency are fundamental and should guide water service providers in their choice of smart devices. Efficiency is one of the most telling indicators of the overall resilience and security of a system's water infrastructure and operations. A water system cannot really be improved without efficiency gains to optimize and reduce levels of water use and consumption of consumable including energy and chemicals. The deployments of smart meters, sensors, and data analytics in urban areas will certainly have positive affects on consumption patterns and the operational practices of water service providers. Mathematical models are widely available to help water service providers assess their distribution systems and identify opportunities for saving energy and water without compromising the safety of either the water quality or the infrastructure.
Other general principles in addition to efficiency can help guide planning, design, and operation of any smart water system. Many of these principles offer collective and individual benefits to the wide range of a water system's stakeholders.
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(i) Water stewardship. People should be empowered to actively participate in managing a city’s livability and sustainability. Smart water is one means to connect with the community in the management of water for the benefit of all stakeholders. All stakeholders can contribute to the overall aims of improving water stewardship, where for example the regeneration of rivers can add value to all city dwellers. (ii) Watershed management. Water is managed in an integrated approach, incorporating the watershed’s unique requirements. It requires fostering partnerships among government, regulators, businesses, industries, and communities across the watershed. Each stakeholder will have data, and the value proposition of smart water is the sharing of data from multiple parties for the benefit of the collective. (iii) Ecosystem sensitivities. Because of the many benefits for people and the natural environment, ecosystems are recognized when building water infrastructure and can be included in smart water management systems. Again, data sharing is key to coherent and meaningful management of the environment and natural resources. The use of smart water systems increasingly allows for robust ecosystem management coupled with new ways to disseminate this information and report outcomes to all stakeholders. (iv) Resilience and adaptation. Smart water systems are frequently utilized to drive resilience and adaptation in coping with stresses and strains on urban water services. This translates directly to the similar ability of a city to build resilience and capacity for adaptative responses to change. (v) Real-time decision-making. Proactive programming, rapid response, and troubleshooting mechanisms can use smart management techniques. Responses to emergency incidents, for example public health emergencies, can be responded to coherently and quickly, with a holistic approach under smart water protocols, beyond the more traditional silo-driven water operator approaches. (vi) Synergies with other sectors. Many sectors apply state-of-the-art technologies and ICTs which integrate with and facilitate smart water. As water service providers develop their own smart systems, there is increasing opportunity for linkage with other urban service providers to build a platform for a multi-faceted smart city. (vii) Unlocking of information isolation. Smart water systems disclose information to all related stakeholders as much as possible to promote effective decision-making and avoid data duplication activity and the profligate use of water and other resources. This works both ways and may result in meaningful exchanges between parties who have traditionally not engaged in sharing and collaboration.
C. The Path toward Smart Water
The path to deployment of a functional and integrated smart water management is a lengthy and complex process. Its development happens over years, growing in sophistication as resources and ICT solutions become available. What is critical to long-term success of a system is the initial steps, which should begin with a solid grounding in the local water situation for which policy and actions plans should be drafted to address. In the PRC, water service providers who have made progress in adopting the principles of smart water have typically progressed through three general stages:
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Stage 1: Automation. Water companies focus on automatic collection of basic data, including automatic control of valves, pumps, and water treatment processes, as well as automatic monitoring of water quality, water pressure, and flow rate. In this stage, water companies can typically obtain a large amount of data on its operations and assets.
Stage 2: Digitalization ("Informatization"). Water companies adopt wireless transmitters, telecommunications networks, and database technology to develop their information system to capture and transmit the data obtained under the automation stage. The goal is to digitize and begin to integrate operational functions. This is also extended to business management and customer functions, such as mobile applications for the customer interface. Many cities in the PRC are at this stage.
Stage 3: Integration ("Intelligentization"). At this stage, advanced ICT technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, and big data are applied for data mining and analysis, which aims to provide the new knowledge base for real-time decision-making.
The three stages entail a dynamic set of activities and decisions that should be addressed. The following general steps summarize essential milestones that would support the process.
Step 1. Data acquisition and integration. On-line monitoring data, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system outputs, manual sampling and testing data, information from other sources, etc. are collected and entered into the database.
Step 2. Data analytics and modeling. Collected data is analyzed and processed by models to generate outputs in required formats.
Step 3. Visualization and decision support. The modeling outputs and information are processed into a visual form to facilitate human decision–making.
Step 4. Decision–making. The results from the data analysis are further processed and verified before taking action.
Step 5. Execution. Decisions are communicated to the intelligent devices to implement the decision commands.
Step 6. Implementation monitoring. Implementation progress, verification of variables, and command calibration is continuously monitored to ensure the objectives are achieved.
Step 7. Post-evaluation. Periodically, events are evaluated to improve knowledge on the operational system.
D. Mutual Benefits
The extensive applications of ICT and associated engineering solutions have pushed smart water principles far beyond technical contexts and into the social, environmental and governance domain (Box 1). Smart water does not only relate to water infrastructure and intelligent devices. Water stewardship, ecosystem sensitivities, adaption of lifestyle changes, etc. are key dynamics of the wide-ranging application of smart water implementation. A new approach that incorporates humanistic philosophy, ecological ideologies, and environmental stewardship is influencing the design of water systems. Box 1 demonstrates the mutually beneficial aspects of smart water beyond better service. In effect, it is a cross-cutting input into the overall 19 development of a city and the demanded improvements in lifestyle and livability for residents. For example, it is
(i) socially beneficial: smart water use recognizes basic human needs and ensures long term benefits (including economic benefits) for residents and society at large; (ii) environmentally responsible: smart water use maintains or improves biodiversity and ecological processes at the watershed level and minimizes profligate water use at point of delivery; and (iii) economically sustainable: smart water use is inherently more secure, reliable, and financially sustainability in the longer-term.
The deployment of ICT in the water sector can also help achieve a diverse set of development goals, such as those related to gender empowerment, inclusion, environmental sustainability, and income generation.
Appendix 4 examines the mutually beneficial relationships between smart water and all of the Sustainable Development Goals. While it cannot be claimed that all benefits can be wholly attributed to smart water, it does show the wide-ranging linkages.
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Box 1. Benefits of Smart Water Management Implementation Any properly managed water system offers a variety of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the city it serves. But many urban water systems are not properly managed and invested in, foregoing these benefits. As cities begin to consider investments and transitioning to smart water management solutions (most preferably with a strategy in place for a systemic approach), the following benefits can be expected and with increased certainty from smart platforms.
Social benefits
• Improved access to clean water and sanitation through water treatment and monitoring • Health improvements through increased access to clean, safe water, and better sanitation • Improved livelihoods through job creation, greater opportunity for further education, higher productivity and other opportunities • Increased training and capacity building for the local community and staff • Increased sharing of solutions to support sustainable development • Increased decision-making opportunities through increased engagement and knowledge-sharing • Greater collaboration with communities through engaging with local stakeholders • Greater security by improving water security and increased resilience to climate change • Increased trust in water suppliers and the safety of water services • Improved access to data and information through real-time data sharing with all water users • Increased gender equality through increased opportunities for capacity building and further education • Reduced conflict over water access leading to increased trust and willingness to engage in collective action
Economic benefits
• Increased efficiency in water and wastewater systems • Reduced waste by the reduction of water loss through leakage • Improved capacity in water systems improving their capacity to manage flows and reduce damage during storms/floods • Reduction in future infrastructure costs by integrating smart technology tools to improve capacity/efficiency, resulting in optimal selection of additional infrastructure • Mobilization of funds from public and private sources, in increasingly well run water service providers
Environmental benefits
• Improved water quality through reduced pollution and contamination in waterways, driving restoration of healthy rivers • Improved ecosystem health and protection through improved water quality and quantity • Reduction in groundwater depletion through reduced over-abstraction • Reduced land degradation through flood and drought management and reduced nutrient loss in the soil
• Reductions in CO2 emissions through energy optimization and reduced energy consumption • Reduced water consumption through leak detection and reduced demand and increased reuse
Governance benefits
• Improved management and knowledge, as measurement is critical for effective operational control
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• Improved accuracy of data, as real-time data should also be SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and time-bound) data • Increased community-led decision-making opportunities as water users can make decisions based on real-time water use and information • Improved transparency as water users have access to water use and quality in real- time
Technology benefits
• The opportunity to test and develop new and innovative tools for water management • Innovative technologies created with the potential for commercialization • Identification of the remaining gaps in technology adoption (e.g. standardization of software and tools to make it easier to adopt the "right" mix of tools for each situation) • Showing the potential for SWM tools to deliver successful outcomes and in turn lead to significant social, environmental, governance and financial impacts
Source: International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and the Korean Water Resources Corporation (K-water). 2018. Smart Water Management Project (Case Study Report). Deajeon, Korea: K-water. 22
Case Study Box 4: Smart Water Meters in Shenzhen Get Even Smarter, More Secure
As new as smart water meters are for some cities in Asia and the Pacific, they are starting to show their age. New generation models market themself on their improvements over their weaknesses, such as low data transmission security, high power consumption, insufficient network coverage, and high cost. Like many water utilities, the Shenzhen Water (Group) Co., Ltd., one of the leading water utility companies in the People's Republic of China (PRC), introduced smart water meters for real-time monitoring of water quality, water consumption, pressure of water supply pipeline, and an improved customer service experience. Shenzhen Water (Group) Co., Ltd, operates 88 waterworks and 41 wastewater treatment plants in various PRC cities. The water company knew it needed to address emerging issues of smart meter and advance its water operations digitization. In 2017, the utility worked with Huawei Technology Co., Ltd, in cooperation with Shenzhen Telecom to introduce the Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Smart Water Solution, the first program of its kind in the world.
Diagram of the Narrow Band Internet of Things Platform for Smart Water System Management Source: https://www.huawei.com
The smart water meters with the NB-IoT module can transmit real-time monitoring data to the IoT platform for a remote water meter reading. In a massive data transmission scenario and uploading, the battery life of NB-IoT smart water meters can last more than seven years. In 2017, the utility installed more than 50,000 NB-IoT smart water meters in residential communities in Shenzhen, and another 500,000 would be installed by 2020.1 NB-IoT solutions promise water utilities the ability to acquire accurate real-time dynamic water consumption and water quality data. Through in-depth data analysis and data mining, a water utility is able to promptly identify abnormal water usage, improve trouble-shooting efficiency, minimize water leakage, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase security.1
1 For more information, see https://www.huawei.com/minisite/iot/cn/case-smart-water.html
Source: The authors.
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IV. THE ARCHITECTURE OF SMART WATER SYSTEMS
Ideally, a smart city would integrate all utilities—public and private—within the same system and use a central data approach. This paper focuses on the systems requirements for smart water. Ideally, a smart water system would manage the entire water cycle, which integrates information and decision making from across the water sector, including the management of water resources. ICT is inspiring innovative solutions to challenges throughout the water sector. ICT allows for continuous monitoring of water resources and the condition of water utility assets, provides real-time monitoring and measuring, and improves modeling and problem diagnosis and dynamic modeling for the water supply efficiency and safety. ICT functions to enable proper maintenance and optimization of all aspects of the water network system.
Because the ICT possibilities are seemingly endless, water service providers need a smart water management strategy that includes a comprehensive and integrative technical architecture for the system. A strategy that incorporates a comprehensive architectural view safeguards the system's sustainability, ensuring that various components are compatible and optimized for performance. For ICT to function to its full potential and for water users to benefit as much as possible, a smart water system must be developed within a structured, integrated, and compatible system. The architecture for a smart water system must be designed first and should be based on existing plans and infrastructure. For new solutions to operate effectively on a large scale, they must conform to the technical architecture design and consider a range of operational issues from asset management to ongoing maintenance costs. This is why strategic planning of smart water systems is important. It ensures technical compatibility, sustainability, and cost- effective operations. A comprehensive technical architecture utilizes the four major components of ICT with four vertical and five horizontal frameworks that create integration as described below.
A. Four ICT Components of Smart Water
The four common ICT components of a smart water system are (i) cloud computing, (ii) the Internet of Things (IoT), (iii) mobile internet, and (iv) big data. Through smart sensors and devices located across the water system, IoT generates big data and transfers it via mobile internet to remote cloud storage for processing and analysis, then sends instructions throughout the smart water system that allows for automated operations of the water system.
The ICT equipment involved in the four components uses data to (i) sense changes in the production of water, the wider environment, and also the state of water use; (ii) conduct automated (intelligent or smart) analysis of massive data sets; and (iii) provide decision–support to water production, operation, service, and management of operations.
B. Integration Architecture for Smart Water System
The architecture of smart water systems aims to create vertical and horizontal integration. Vertical integration provides quick solutions to specific problems for utilities, while horizontal integration is cross- cutting and prevents information silos. The four vertical frameworks proposed in this section are the four general pillars of ICT and should be developed first to support the horizontal layers. The four vertical pillars give data structure and direction, while the five horizontal layers function as the furnishings of the system— that is the actual content and data (Figure 2).
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Figure 1: Information and Communication Technology Components Supporting Smart Water
Source: ADB
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Figure 2: Architecture of Smart Water System
Source: ADB
The four vertical frameworks are the (i) technology framework that provides the basic, integrative structure of the system, (ii) the standards framework for establishing interfaces and guidelines for the construction of the system, (iii) the infrastructure management framework for making the data useful to decision-makers and managers, and (iv) the information security framework for ensuring that data remains safe and secure.
The five horizontal layers fill the four frameworks with data: (i) the IOT sense layer gathers data from sensors around the water system; (ii) the infrastructure layer transmits the data through various ICT points in the system; (iii) the platform support layer supplies the data centers with their relevant data and unifies the data for decision making; (iv) the application layer puts the processed data to automated use in the management of the water system; and (v) the presentation layer shares information with stakeholders through various user interfaces.
C. How the Frameworks and Layers Work Together
The IOT sense layer is the base layer of a smart water management system. It consists of smart sensors, such as acoustic leak sensors, smart meters, water quality sensors, high rate pressure sensors, etc. These sensors must be compatible with the covenants of the standards framework in order to communicate information. The sensors provide real time data on every aspect of the water system that sensors are monitoring— including water sources, water treatment and distribution, wastewater management, environmental management, and customer service management (Case Study Box 5).
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The data acquired by sensors form big data, which are transferred through the wireless or optic fiber cables that make up the infrastructure layers of the system to data centers. At the data centers, dynamic hydraulic modeling (or other chosen software) processes the data and generates outputs for decision-making; outputs include instructions to adjust and optimize operation systems or respond to emergency situations. The decisions and actions that are a result of the outputs first happen on the platform support layer and then the smart application layer, which is regulated by the vertical infrastructure management framework (see next section).
The presentation layer communicates the results of the process to whomever the water service providers, under laws and regulations, deem as stakeholders. This involves providing different levels of access to information by authorities, operators, communities, and customers. Real-time information or modeling reports should be generated and sent to operators and other relevant stakeholders. The information security framework is constantly working in the background to help protect and secure the information and data flows.
D. The Four Vertical Frameworks
The four frameworks of the smart water system cover four fundamental aspects of ICT that ensure a smoothly functioning smart system.
Technology framework. The technology framework integrates each technical part of the smart water system. The technology framework provides the core content for the construction of the smart water system, which includes all five layers.
Standards framework. The standards framework guides the overall construction of a smart water system. This framework solves the inconsistent standards and inconsistent data interface types provided by different manufacturers. The standards cover access control, authority management, communication protocol, and other technical management systems and guarantee that the smart water architecture is constructed to function correctly. This framework ensures system openness, integration, and expandability.
Infrastructure management framework. This framework establishes the management system for the planning, implementation, operation, and maintenance of smart water systems. It ensures the smooth construction of the smart system and long-term stability.
Security operation framework. The framework guarantees the secure operations of the smart water system. A smart water system should be resistant to typical destructive forces, should be intrusion proof, and resilient to disasters, to ensure data security and communication security of the system’s operation.
E. The Five Layers
The five layers of a smart water system provide the content (the data) that populates the four frameworks.
IoT sense layer. This layer utilizes IOT technology, such as online instruments, radio frequency identification, and other sensors and terminal equipment, to automatically collect data and information needed for smart operations, management, monitoring, and analysis from the source to the tap to the point of wastewater discharge/reuse.
Infrastructure layer. This layer manages the transmission of data through the communication network, server cluster, cloud computing, and virtualization technology. It provides the platform layer with the computing, storage, network environment, and needed resources. It uses virtualization technology to build a resource pool for on-demand allocation and rapid deployment of resources.
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Platform support layer. This layer integrates, analyzes, and processes all kinds of data from the infrastructure layer. It is used to populate the water data center and resource service platform. This layer also supports the construction of each business system for the smart application layer through unified data and service interfaces, standards and models, and unified management and collaboration of various application systems. Unified information breaks the isolated information island and increases the depth of data fusion between different business areas of the water service provider.
Smart application layer. This layer is the business application system, covering the whole water industry chain, such as raw water, water production, water distribution, and sewage treatment/disposal/reuse. It supports the production, operation, service, and management activities of water service providers and other water enterprises. This layer achieves comprehensive "water wisdom" by making full use of new generation ICT to provide water service providers with more sophisticated and dynamic management and services.
Presentation layer. This layer refers to the use of computers, mobile phones, large screens, and other terminals through the login enterprise intranet portal and extranet portal to achieve different user- personalized smart application services. Through this layer, managers and leaders of water service providers can grasp real-time operational and management information for smart analysis and real-time decision-making. 28
Case Study Box 5: Singapore's Smart Water Grid
A smart water grid (SWG) is “a two-way real-time network with sensors and devices that continuously and 1 remotely monitor the water distribution system.” It is an intelligent water management system equipped with the most advanced information and communications technologies (ICTs). To improve water delivery efficiency, the Water Supply Network (WSN) Department, which manages the water mains in Singapore, has gradually implemented SWG for asset management, pipe pressure management, water quality monitoring, and water consumption management in recent years.
The water supply network is equipped with ICT applications for pipe pressure and water quality monitoring, including high rate pressure sensors, leak noise localizers, correlators, and short-range acoustic sensors. The WaterWiSe system was developed by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and Visenti Pte. Ltd. It comprises about 300 wireless sensors for real-time monitoring of hydraulic and water quality parameters (including pressure, water quality, water flow rate, etc.) in the water supply network (see figures below). These ICT applications enable the water supply network to identify pipe leaks and potential pipe bursts and detect water supply contamination promptly to minimize water losses and other adverse impacts on customers. According to published statistics, the WaterWiSe system effectively prevents three to five pipe bursts or leak events per kilometer.
Automated meter reading (AMR) automatically collects water consumption data, such as the date, time, and volume of water consumed from water meters. Data uploads to a central database for billing, troubleshooting, and analysis. The information from real-time monitoring can help water supply networks and customers to control their water consumption better. The workflow is shown in the figure below. The AMR project aims to collect detailed data on household water consumption to build customer consumption profiles and identify consumption patterns and trends.
Overview of Singapore's WaterWiSe system. (Source: Micheal Allen, Ami Preis, etc., Case Study: A Smart Water Grid In Singapore, Water Practice & Technology 7, No.4.)
(Case Study Box 5 continued on next page.)
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(Case Study Box 5 continued from previous page.) In 2014, the AMR provided the water supply network with annual water consumption data from the top 100 commercial and industrial customers. The data revealed patterns and causes of daily water demand fluctuations in Singapore, which were used to improve water demand predictions, water usage efficiency analysis, and water consumption management. WSN plans to extend the AMR application to more water customers and evaluate the reliability and reading availability of the AMR system.
Distribution Map of WaterWiSe Sensors. (Source: Singapore Public Utilities Board.)
Notes: GPRS = general packet radio services; UHF = ultra high frequency; VHR =very high frequency
Distribution and water consumption feedback using the automated meter reading system in the smart water grid system. (Source: Singapore Public Utilities Board. Innovation in Water Singapore. June 2016, Volume 8.)
1Allen, Michael, Ami Preis, Mudasser Iqbal and Andrew J. Whittle. “Case Study: a Smart Water Grid in Singapore.” Water Practice & Technology 7, no. 4 (November 26, 2012): 1–8.
Source: The authors.
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V. IDENTIFYING THE SCOPE OF SYSTEMS AND BUILDING A ROAD MAP
A smart water system is a capital-intensive initiative and requires government and water service provider commitment to continuous promotion and investment. Stakeholder engagement is also essential to a city intent on transitioning to a water-smart future. A practical approach to building a smart water system starts with a thorough assessment of existing ICT facilities and ongoing projects and then integrates their specifications into the ICT architecture design as much as possible. Existing equipment and facilities will need upgrading to be compatible with the proposed new smart water system.
A smart water strategy study should take these lessons into account when identifying systems and subsystems and developing an implementation road map for planning, designing, and delivering the smart water system. A smart water road map should align with current master plans. It should propose ICT applications, infrastructure projects, and an implementation schedule. The road map should form a set of concrete actions towards smart water management that aims at excellent performance, better service, higher efficiency, lower costs, minimized environmental impacts, and enhanced stakeholder participation.
A. The Needed Policy Mandate for a Smart Water System
Cities considering embarking on smart water systems would benefit from having an urban development plan and a smart city development strategy in place, preferably one that specifically addresses smart urban water management. However, water service providers need not wait for a smart city strategy or plan to be in place before developing a smart water strategy. For example, Jinghai district in Tianjin municipality developed its "Mid-Long Term Planning for Jinghai Water Action Plan" in August 2015—two years before the city had developed its smart city strategy in July 2017.12 A general urban water management action plan would typically have themes and targets for improved water services and other operational targets (many developed on a benchmarking basis). Ideally, the plans would include how the smart water strategy would be linked to these objectives and their targets.
B. Three Subsystems of a Smart Water System
A smart water strategy and system would typically contain three subsystems as part of the ICT architecture: a water information system, a water service system, and an emergency response system, which is summarized below (Case Study Box 6).
Water information system. This system covers surface water and groundwater resource management. It should include two additional subsystems:
(i) surface water resource monitoring information system: capable of water quantity and quality monitoring of lakes, reservoirs, rivers and other water bodies, long-distance data and information transmission, flood water level warning, water quality changes warning, sewage discharge monitoring and early warning, remote control of pumping stations and other remote assets, large sluice gates and valves, , and river water withdrawal monitoring and control, etc.; and (ii) groundwater monitoring and management information system: for online monitoring and remote control of regional water wells and accompanied by an optimal water resources allocation model for water abstraction/extraction.
12 Jinghai Planning Bureau. 2017. Jinghai District Smart City Master Plan Design. Jinghjai. 31
The water information system involves three of the five layers in the ICT architecture: the sensing layer, the infrastructure layer, and the platform layer. Its functions include:
(i) Data acquisition. IoT applications for water resources and utilities would use various terminal equipment (smart sensors such as smart meters, water quality sensors, smart flow gauges, etc.) to automatically collect data on quantity and quality measures of both water resources and treated supplies. (ii) Data transmission. Information is transferred mainly through wired networks (medium and long-distance wide area network, short-distance local bus) and wireless networks (long- distance wireless communications such as 2G/3G/4G/ NB-IoT and short-distance wireless communications such as Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee, etc.). The transmission networks make up the IoT network data transmission platform, which is necessary for real-time automatic acquisition, transmission, and storage of data (the dispersed data on water sources, treatment, and monitoring). (iii) Data storage and processing. The data center platform is the basic infrastructure hardware needed to unify the storage, integration, analysis, processing, and sharing of data for decision- making. The platform shields the complexity and diversity of the underlying equipment and network. It uses a unified data interface and standards to provide services to the outside world and to support various smart water applications. The platform can be designed for local servers or the cloud. The cloud is adaptive to the needs of massive data storage and associated calculations/simulations, and the scale can be flexibly adjusted according to the demand. The cloud is highly reliable and highly secure. It is also the trend, and standardization is the foundation and critical work of cloud services. Water service system. This system traces, monitors, analyzes, forecasts, and controls systems for water supply, drainage, wastewater management, flood control, and stormwater management. It requires:
(i) a water utility network information system: for real-time monitoring of water flow, quality and pressure in water network, asset management, data analysis modeling, and leak management; a wastewater management and reuse information network: for monitoring water quantity and quality/quantity of wastewater effluent and/or reclaimed water; and (ii) a regional flood drainage mathematical model: for stormwater management that is incorporated into the stormwater monitoring information system for stormwater forecasting, early warning, monitoring, information release, and flood control. The system includes two of the five ICT architecture layers: the smart application layer and the presentation layer, which deeply mine and analyze the massive amounts of data collected from the data center platform; implement customized analyses for various treatment, operation, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for management; and present the data through a unified monitoring and management platform. The system supports control automation, management coordination, and scientific decision-making.
Particular ICT applications for a smart water service system include the following:
(i) Intelligent solutions in water management. Aquadapt software, for example, integrates existing management systems to help water utilities optimize their operations. It is widely used in North America, the UK, Korea, and Australia. (ii) Sewer remote monitoring solutions for wastewater management. SolidAT SmartScan, for example, are noncontact gauging devices for real-time monitoring of sewer blockages and overflows, sending alerts when the levels reach low and high limits. (iii) Flood prediction. The RainGain system, for example, improves urban flood prediction. The 32
weather radar networks send rainfall data (at an urban scale) to the water authority for predicting floods and issuing early warnings, for real-time operational strategies of storage basins and pumping stations to maximize rainwater storage, etc. (iv) Stormwater management. These applications assess the capacity of assets, such as the retention capacities of the network and the optimal filling and water draining of storage basins. INFLUX is an example of a predictive and dynamic management system. It gives the water authority an operational overview of the entire sewage system based on validated metrological data. It calculates trends and system behaviors for the coming periods and proposes an optimal management strategy that can be applied manually or automatically. (v) Leak detection. A conventional water management system would depend on manually detecting leaking pipes with field crews using visual cues, listening sticks, etc. ICT applications use hydrophone sensors or high rate sampling pressure sensors to detect leaks. ICT applications can minimize physical leaks and nonrevenue water in addition to the implementation of a preventive maintenance scheme, and the timely deployment of emergency repair crew to identified sites.
Emergency response system. This system strengthens and supports the emergency response to water services, including risk monitoring, planning, resource management, and decision-making support, etc. Using the application and presentation layers, this system strengthens and supports the emergency response to water-related incidents and includes the following activities:
(i) risk monitoring to integrate information, analyze risks in real time, and present analysis results to relevant stakeholders; (ii) emergency response resource management to build up a dynamic capability for management of emergency response resources, including emergency teams, supplies, equipment, transportation, and health care; (iii) emergency management planning to provide process management for compiling, revising, structuring, reporting, summarizing, and backing up emergency planning; (iv) emergency response practice to plan, manage, and record emergency response practice; (v) decision support to locate water incidents (e.g. pollution), present its circumstances, and predict impacts; (vi) emergency mobile communication to provide on-site emergency responders a temporary communication method via mobile devices; and (vii) accident and incident investigation to support evidence collection and recovery.
C. A Road Map to Smart Water Management
Urban planning documents and their counterpart sector plans are necessary fundamental documents that lay the groundwork for smart planning, but they are often high-level documents without any concrete projects to support their implementation. Planning documents are also often independently developed without sufficient cross-reference and need consolidation and specific action plans to convert concepts into actions. As a result, water projects may not reflect the goals of both urban and smart strategies.
Smart water systems need a phased approach to develop the infrastructure and software; acquire, verify, and update data; and adopt new management procedures. As a part of the process, the public also adopts 33
lifestyles that are water smart. A fully functioning smart water system should include the following characteristics:
(i) real-time data acquisition and analysis capacity, (ii) optimal system operations and emergency response, (iii) high efficiency and excellent performance of utilities and services, (iv) lower operational and maintenance costs comparing with the sector’s benchmark, (v) lower environmental impacts, (vi) effective communications with the communities and residents, and (vii) good water stewardship.
A smart water system should start from a smart city platform that employs GIS and ICT for the whole service area. Then, smart water can be developed and implemented by or for sectors and components based on the smart city platform. However, it is common for smart water systems to be implemented earlier than a well- developed smart city system. Therefore, it is always critical that a smart water system is professionally designed for compatibility and accessibility for future integration into a smart city system.
D. A Three-Phased Approach
A three-phased approach is reasonable for implementing a smart water system, assuming a city has in place (preferably) a smart city plan and most certainly a water action plan.
Phase I: Smart Water Master Plan. In line with the smart city plan and water action plan, a smart water master plan (SWMP) should be formulated to specify objectives, principles of smart water, institutional structure, regulations to be developed, key issues, demand projections, scope of each water subsector, and ICT architecture with frameworks and layers such as data types, GIS platform, etc. Detailed surveys and feasibility studies should be carried out for each subsector to support the master plan. The SWMP should also include a long-term implementation schedule (a 20-year horizon). Technical and financial resources should be identified and committed to ensuring that the SWMP is implementable.
Phase II: Engineering Solutions, and Management and Service Improvement. Smart water plans in general will need infrastructure and improved management practices. New or improved physical infrastructure is necessary, and it will have to be equipped/upgraded with ICT equipment and advanced processing technologies. Engineering solutions and management enhancement will require to be clearly specifying with detailed inputs, outputs, and expected outcomes.
A typical comprehensive smart water road map would recommend phased implementation of ICT facilities for the key components detailed below.
(i) Water supply management: a. water quality monitoring: smart water quality sensors at sources, treatment plant outlets, and end users; wireless transmissions; and data processing software with altering functions for emergency; b. waterworks performance evaluation: SCADA system, operation modeling, and asset management modeling; c. emergency plan and implementation: real-time data processing and emergency response plan and programing to mobilize and deploy field crew to take any actions; 34
d. modeling for the overall distribution of energy savings: dynamic hydraulic modeling of water distribution network with the output of pumping operation schedule and energy performance presentation; and e. modeling for water supply safety: smart water quality sensors and gauges integrated with the GIS-based model to monitor water contamination and flows at upstream water bodies, intakes, treatment plants, reservoirs, and pumping stations of distribution networks and end users.
(ii) Wastewater management:
a. onsite treatment plant effluent quality monitoring: smart sensors for inflow and effluent quality with data transmission facilities; b. effluent quality monitoring: smart sensors for effluent quality; c. treatment plant performance evaluation: SCADA system, operation modeling, and asset management modeling; d. emergency plan and implementation: real-time data processing and emergency response plan and programing to mobilize and deploy field crew to take any actions; e. modeling for the overall distribution of energy savings: dynamic hydraulic modeling of sewage network with the output of pumping operation schedule and energy performance presentation; and f. emergency response plan: flow and water quality sensors at treatment plants and sewers for overflow and surge loading to alert in emergency cases and program for emergency procedures and actions.
(iii) Water resource management:
a. water quality monitoring and management: smart sensors for contamination of water quality; b. river and reservoir flows and storage monitoring: smart sensors; c. emergency response plan: computerized program with real-time data processing and alerting system, responsive actions, and mobilization of a field crew; d. pumping stations and discharge management for flooding control: SCADA and program modeling for pump operation schedule; e. watershed ecological system improvement: survey inputs and key performance indicator (KPI) computing and assessment of the ecological systems and presenting outputs; f. non-point pollution control and monitoring: smart sensors at sensible locations; g. hydraulic facilities automatic operation: SCADA and automation measures controlled by the modeling program; and h. hydraulic modeling for watershed management: overall modeling for a watershed, including hydrologic data, land data, industrial discharges, municipal wastewater treatment plants, etc.
(iv) Groundwater management:
a. groundwater table monitoring: monitoring wells with smart sensors in key sites; b. groundwater quality monitoring: monitoring wells with smart sensors in key sites; c. groundwater abstraction metering and monitoring: flow gauges with data transmission devices to monitor groundwater usage; d. ground subsidence monitoring: geographic monitoring sensors and data transmission devices; e. application of groundwater contamination technologies: engineering projects; and 35
f. groundwater replenishment: smart sensors for water flow and quality at replenishing wells.
(v) Stormwater management and sponge city management:
a. urban surface water quality monitoring: smart sensors for stormwater quality and quantity at drainage sewers and retention ponds; b. performance evaluation and monitoring: hydraulic modeling for stormwater; c. stormwater management including combined sewers overflow control, flood control; d. visualization of the urban water facilities: engineering projects; and e. urban low impact development plan and implementation.
All of the above would be supported by visualization: real-time and statistical data and graphics visible on control room screens and transformed for mobile devices. Furthermore, systems would facilitate benchmarking and performance evaluations: KPIs and a computerized benchmarking program will generate reports and KPIs for mobile devices and big screen presentation.
Phase III: Evaluation and Upgrading. After a year of operations, the upgraded facilities should be evaluated to verify whether the engineering solutions have been carried out according to their design and have achieved the design objectives. The evaluation process is different from the inspections and acceptance testing. The evaluation focuses on the project’s functions and how they fit into the SWMP and how they contribute to the overall objectives of smart water management. Evaluation is a continuous practice throughout the design, construction, and operation of the system to identify any design defects, the compatibilities among projects or components, the effectiveness of project’s outputs, etc., and to provide feedback to the smart water system operators (and their support partners) on any needed remediation or further improvement. The efficiency of operations and management also needs to be evaluated to ensure managers and operators are effectively using the ICT technologies. Phases II and III will have overlapping implementation. The SWMP should be reviewed on a periodic basis.
E. Capacity Building for Smart Water Management
To develop traction in smart water management, the following key issues may need to be addressed by capacity building within cities and/or water service providers.
(i) Long-term planning. The development of a comprehensive medium- to long-term water management strategy to support integrated urban-rural water management, water conservation, climate resilience, water security resilience, and of development of equitable and efficient rules for water allocation. The development of future options on large capital- intensive schemes and robust strategic planning and policy. (ii) Smart water management personnel. Well trained managers, engineers, technicians, operators, and commercial managers in water resource management, utility management, ecosystem management, groundwater management, and emergency response management. By the selective recruitment of technical staff and on-the-job training for existing staff. (iii) Institutional strengthening. Institutional reform and reorganization to begin to seek to eliminate institutional barriers to change.
Case Study Box 7 summarizes a technical assistance by ADB in partnership with K-water to South Asian urban water service providers that helps them the following capacity requirements and more.
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F. An Indicative Implementation Timeframe for Three-Phase Approach
As an indicator of the implementation time for the three-phase approach described above, a minimum of three years would be required, using the following timeframe with ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and improvement (Appendix 5). This timeframe would depend on the capacity baseline of a water service provider. A strategic road map for implementation developed out of multi-stakeholder consultation will have aroused public interest and built political determination. This should be capitalized on with a realistic, yet assertive implementation timeline, assuming financial resources are in place to do so. If not, an incremental approach to roll-out may be adopted to allow future phases of the road map to be implemented when approval is achieved, or further financial support is secured.
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Case Study Box 6: Tongzhou District's Smart Water Management Platform
The online smart water management platform (SWMP) for Tongzhou district, the center of Beijing City, is an example of a comprehensive smart water system, which intends to cover the entire water cycle: from water source to water supply, and including wastewater management, flood control and drainage management. As part of a smart sponge city project for improving the water environment, the platform is designed with subsystems for river management, performance evaluation, knowledge management, grid management, decision-making support, flooding prevention and control management, water environment management, drainage network online monitoring, water resource management, and sponge city management.
Tongzhou's SWMP intends to have the technical capacity for broad public access. When fully implemented the system has the capacity to allow public users free access through a web browser to the river management system and information on water quality, location of sewage discharge outlets, place and impacted area of existing pollution sources, the responsible person for river management, as well as complaint records. More data will be available to authorized users.
The SWMP in Tongzhou focuses on water information collection and processing, as well as on the mining, analysis, and use of big data. As an example, the online monitoring system for the drainage network will work as an early-warning system to protect the network. Based on data collected on water levels in the monitoring wells, the system will be able to conduct pre-warning analysis based on historical data and send out alerts to users when water level reaches the overload level.
Part of the online river management system is visualized in the above screenshot of the smart water management platform used in Tongzhou district. (Source: Screenshot by authors.)
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Examples of online subsystems are visualized above in the above screenshot of the Chinese-language smart water management platform used in Tongzhou district. (Source: Screenshot by authors.)
Source: The authors.
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Case Study Box 7: Case Study Box X: South Asian Cities Benefit from ADB Technical Assistance to Launch, Advance Smart Water Management
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in partnership with Government of Korea recently completed a regional technical assistance to 6 cities across South Asia that introduced “smart water management” into water service operations.1
In the past, ADB and developing member countries (DMCs) have focused mainly on improving supply-side interventions to increase drinking water service coverage. Governments and development finance are doing more now, though, to augment those still-necessary infrastructure investments with other measures that reduce water losses, adapt to climate change pressures on water supplies, and strengthen overall water security.
ADB tapped the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) to introduce high-level technology and provide training on smart water management to help South Asian developing member countries improve operational efficiency in urban water supply. K-water is renowned for its domestic and international operational experience, its water supply technology, and training initiatives. K-water worked side-by-side with South Asia water service operators to take-on diagnostic works, operational efficiency improvement plans, latest ICT solutions, on-site training, and study visits. Pilot-testing smart devices and training were also important components, helping to bring the operational staff current on ICT in the water sector.
Cities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka participated in the 5-years-long technical assistance between 2016 and 2020. scaled up in 2018 to extend from five to seven cities, until 2020, and a total investment of $2.5 million. Due to the coronavirus-19 pandemic, the project has been scaled back to six cities (Dhaka, Colombo, Chennai, Khulna, Thimphu, and Kawasoti).
Taqsem A. Khan, managing director of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, told ADB, “We don't have any other choice except to move ourselves from the traditional to the smart water management to the e- management."2 Many water service providers in the region agree. Smart water management provides their urban water service providers with their best chance of catching-up and keeping-up with urbanization. Asia's urbanization is estimated to increase to 78% by 2050, with much of that growth happening in small and medium- sized cities in Asia. More efficient and effective water services are needed to meet the 2050 scenario, which will be unfolding over the coming decades.
1 ADB. 2015. Regional: Promoting Smart Drinking Water Management in South Asian Cities. Manila. https://www.adb.org/projects/49289-001/main ($1.89 million)
2 ADB. 2020. Promoting Smart Drinking Water Management in South Asian Cities. Manila. https://www.adb.org/news/videos/promoting-smart-drinking-water-management-south-asian-cities. (This video features two of the six participating cities: Dhaka and Khulna)
Source: The authors.
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VI. LEVERAGING POLICY, SMART WATER FOR LIVABLE CITIES
Many water service providers in Asia and the Pacific are at a stage in their smart water development whereby they are employing singular smart solutions for specific problems but have yet to evolve these initial steps into an integrated system which is applied to a network-wide smart platform. Smart water management remains, in many cases, piecemeal due to limited resources. The most realistic approach for most would be to align their existing and proposed smart water initiatives onto an ideal trajectory that can be implemented over time. Either approach should be guided by a clear strategy and be supported by a concise master plan that specifies how ICT will be utilized, to address specific challenges. This should be well defined, as part of a comprehensive investment plan for procuring and implementing ICT, aligned with well understood key performance indicators. Without a guiding strategy and a related master plan in place, ICT will not be able to scale and operate to its full potential nor deliver over its full operational lifespan.
To stimulate smart water pick-up by water service providers, strategy development needs the support of policy, as well as the engagement of a full community-of-users (especially for data sharing) and knowledgeable operational staff. Policy is the great enabler of most of these supports, along with sector targets, incentives, standards and regulations that usually accompany policy. These levers can also be highly motivational. They are introduced to water service providers by either external factors (through policy, sector targets, incentives, and regulations) or internal factors for business improvement and enhanced financial returns. Change is usually supported by a champion who take up the cause internally. Potential champions are most empowered when they have the mandate of policy and its levers to pursue smart water management. Under pressure to improve their performance, water service providers can be compelled by policy and its champions to re-evaluate their traditional approaches and to consider alternatives, such as smart water management. Champions are not natural consequences of policy, but most often develop from understanding the potential political, mutual, or transformative benefits of new technology and different lens for defining new business models. Smart water systems can deliver measurable, perceivable impact within politically beneficial timeframes.
The role of government and policy cannot be replaced by the ICT market forces or the influence of private sector finance. All are necessary. Because water is an essential service and human right, regardless of whether water services providers are privately or publicly managed, smart water management requires the engagement of government and policy to ensure its efficacy. The commercial market can naturally be depended upon to promote the use of and provision of smart water technology, while the private sector may provide the necessary financing and serve in technical and operational roles. The commercial and corporate sectors do not replace the role or scale of which government and government's policy and incentive programs can deliver change at a societal and sectoral scale.
National governments are invariably the most influential agent of wide-scale change through the introduction of policies and incentive programs. Policies, like the examples given below and others like them, also need to be promoted and advocated by water user groups, the private sector, ICT vendors and service providers, and private corporations. This is most effective at both the policy and the implementation levels. Government (at any administrative level) cannot depend solely on the market to inspire individuals, communities, water service providers, or municipalities to grasp the opportunities of comprehensive smart water systems, at least not at the appropriate scale or cost to achieve impact. The true economic and social benefits of ICT come at a sector-level scale, not the individual institution or individual user level. ICT empowers the water service provider or individual only when they connect with other users in the wider water management system and eventually in the structures for overall natural resources management. A large number of individual users are required for ICT to have a positive, discernable effect on the livability of a city. And for that, national policies and programs are needed.
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Smart water management is an exciting frontier. Water service providers cannot wait for policy, standards, targets, or incentives before they move into the digital era of smart water and AI-led water management. And to their credit, many service providers in the PRC and beyond in the Asia Pacific region are taking the initiative with smart water solutions and within the resources of their own technical and financial capacity. Their efforts are also laudable and contribute to their own understanding of the limitations and potential of ICT for their water operations. Any stakeholder interested in the pursuit of smart water management can and should consider the policy recommendations that follow. Water service providers can champion their own smart water management by incorporating the most relevant, practical, and feasible of the following ideas into their own strategy and master planning. The key is to make a start and avoid repeating the traditional approaches of a notoriously conservative and risk-averse sector.
A. Smart Water Management for Livable Cities
ADB’s Strategy 2030 identifies “making cities more livable” as one of seven operational priorities.13 Its companion document, the Livable Cities Operational Priority Plan, 2019–2024, guides ADB’s operational support units, the urban operations of regional departments, and its developing member countries (DMCs). The strategy supports efforts in (i) improving the accessibility, quality, and reliability of urban services; (ii) strengthening urban planning and financial sustainability; and (iii) improving urban environments, climate resilience, and disaster management.14 The strategy also helps DMCs develop institutions, policies, and enabling environments.
ADB’s strategic vision of livable cities puts the well-being of people and communities at the center of decision-making regarding urban development. Likewise, smart water management can and should put the well-being of people and communities at the center of the decision-support services it provides to water service operators. ADB has identified "5Es" of livable cities: (i) economic competitiveness, (ii) environmental sustainability and resilience, (iii) equity and inclusiveness, (iv) enabling environments, and (vi) engagement. Through proper policy support, smart water management can contribute significantly to these attributes of livable cities and be considered a core part of achieving these objectives.
B. Policy Support
Policymakers, influencers, managers, and implementers—each from their unique position—can advance the dialogue on smart water management by considering how the following policy recommendations could help transform or solve local urban water service challenges. The 5Es of ADB's livable cities framework are used here as an organizing framework for demonstrating the need and value of these policy ideas. Policy can act as a stimulus for strategic thinking and planning at the municipal level and, more importantly, at the level of water service providers.
Economic competitiveness. Urban areas increase their economic competitiveness through efficiency and productivity, which are largely made possible by investments in priority infrastructure of which water supply and sanitation is a priority and urgent in light of increasing demand, and also the harsh impacts of COVID- 19 and climate change. Infrastructure and their corresponding urban services make for better levels of livability, more efficient living, more palatable options for commuting, a wider range of options for working, and new models for income-generation and business-transactions. Water supply and wastewater investments make up a significant part of urban investment portfolios and also impact on public health and wider issues of inclusiveness. It is true most water sector investments are still delivered without smart water applications at a commensurate scale.
13 ADB. 2019. Strategy 2030: Operational Priority 4; Making Cities More Livable, 2019–2024. Manila. 14 ADB. 2018. Strategy 2030: Achieving a Prosperous, Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific. Manila. 42
Policy is needed to strengthen collaboration and data sharing across and within the urban water space and more widely in the urban sector. The strategic development of smart systems provides city leaders and service providers with new opportunities for information sharing between and within urban networks. The more widely data is collected across sectors, the more effective municipal leaders and service providers can manage day-to-day operations but also, especially, in emergencies. The water sector—not just water service providers but also the related agencies that provide inputs or influence over water resources and services— can support a city's inclusiveness and competitiveness by collecting and sharing data from its water and environmental operations. Policy support will expedite this difficult and sensitive task.
Environmental sustainability and resilience. A livable city invests in water supply, sewerage and drainage systems, solid waste management, and climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure, urban planning, and disaster reduction and preparedness. Policy should incentivize the strategic deployment of smart water management to support investments in environmental improvements, such as better water quality, robust demand management, coherent protection of aquifers and groundwater supplies, and more efficient energy use throughout systems, especially energy-intensive facilities such as wastewater treatment plants.
ICT solutions are gaining ground in emergency and disaster preparedness and responses, particularly related to storm and flood events. Water data, particularly related to the management of stormwater and drainage systems during extreme weather events, is of critical value to other sectors (such as transportation). Policy measures are needed to encourage and support integrated systems to help cities maneuver and recover from these events much quicker. Yet again, policy directives on data sharing are what will enable the integration of these systems.
Implementing smart water management can improve water security and governance—this is typically undervalued in terms of financial and economic benefits. Building resilience in cities allows a quicker response to system stresses and shocks. Resilient water systems reinforce system and service continuity and policy should recognize and value these benefits.
Equity and inclusion. Policy can support the organization and participation of marginalized and disadvantaged groups in the delivery of improved water services. Smart water approaches are well placed to assist in inclusive planning, implementation, and monitoring of such community-level water service initiatives. Engagement can focus on upgrading community-level infrastructure and the connection of informal water users to the main systems, which also converts them into paying consumers of urban services.
Water consumers can be further empowered by providing them access to current information on water quality, service availability, online customer service, and more efficient options for bill payment and managing of household consumption. Such tools are especially beneficial to lower-income consumers. The development of improved and transparent consumer interfaces is an issue that a comprehensive smart water policy should address as a priority in its investment plan.
Government policy and incentive programs should prioritize areas without adequate infrastructure and water services. Although starting from a relatively lower baseline, areas of cities with poor infrastructure can still introduce smart water management systems as an approach to be used alongside infrastructure improvement. This would not only help bring more equitable access to safe, reliable drinking water and sanitation but also help close disparities in access to technology (the "digital divide").
Enabling environment. The development of smart water management is an opportunity to strengthen the enabling environment through institutional and capacity building, policy reforms, and strengthening urban governance—bringing with it, integrated planning, improved operations, and enhanced financial sustainability.
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As a matter of policy, sufficiently detailed national standards would help guide water service providers in determining the scope and parameters of their smart water strategies and in making ICT choices about hardware and software. Standards bring uniformity and conformity for integration, enduring compatibility, and versatility between various subsystems and suppliers. The role of national water associations is important as they can assist in development of coherent and well-thought out standards which are attuned to the best practice and needs of particular cities and/or countries.
Policy should also foster more mutually beneficial partnerships between water service providers, the ICT marketplace, and the private sector. One such way is by valuing and incorporating research, development, and testing of ICT systems and solutions by piloting. Water service providers can engage early in the ICT development process, to help in the evolution of solutions bringing their insights on specific needs and fostering greater functionality. This also contributes to building sustainability and driving optimal usage of smart systems.
Engagement. Smart water management should not be used as a closed business tool. Water service providers can and should engage and empower the public through greater data transparency measures, offering user-friendly consumer interfaces, and improved customer service. In addition, regular engagement with user groups and customers via focused surveys can allow valuable feedback and occasional re-tuning of key aspects of the services. Such engagement can also inform operational issues via smart water public platforms. Where customers feel their water sources are unsafe, smart water platforms can make available real-time water quality monitoring data, information, and analysis to water consumers. Leaks can be reported quickly by members of the public. Messaging on water use and conservation can be improved following the adoption of smart water management and the evolving range of tools to engage with water consumers. A secure level of data transparency with the public can build trust and community support for water service providers and justify the additional costs to consumers of smart water systems.
Promoting targets and incentive programs among the general public is a strategy to galvanize the citizenry around water management and the use of smart systems and solutions. Their involvement acts as an accountability measure for gauging the satisfaction levels with water service providers and the perceived value of the smart water systems. Public awareness and understanding of smart water systems are important because of the investment levels involved. Costs may be directly or indirectly passed on to water users in order to repay debts taken on to implement smart water systems (passed on through increased user fees and other forms of local revenue generation). Public support will be needed in the form of their willingness to pay, and this willingness is generated by extending to the public opportunities for education on water services (and hence the part smart water systems play). Educating the public on the relationship between water protection, conservation, and smart water is another opportunity to increase their interest and engagement in the public discussions that happen around transitioning from traditional to smart water management. The transition can be one that a whole city takes pride in as an example of its modernization and appeal.
C. Stakeholder Support
The development of a smart water system is a complex and lengthy process, though the benefits and rewards come throughout the process. The decisions that go into determining the initial strategy for smart water management, such as the scope of the main system or any of its specific solutions should include all stakeholders: the government, water service providers, water users, and technical support companies.
Effective communication (most simply defined as communication that is proactive, frequent, and inclusive) among the different stakeholders is crucial to allow smooth progress of the strategy. Clear implementation planning and effective decision-making is essential. 44
The coalition building for developing a wide-ranging smart water management system lays the necessary groundwork for broad-based data sharing and effective integration. Without agreement on the basis of data sharing a smart water system will not function at its optimal and most productive level. Other agencies and entities which collect integral water and associated data must be a part of the collective which supports the smart water system. It is recommended as a goal that inter-agency and cross-departmental data sharing is fostered. This will build the “bigger picture” and would include and not be limited to data on water resources, land administration, urban planning, and environmental management. Data sharing and integration should eventually be extended to the regulatory body.
The general reluctance within any government or department or entity to share data is a common barrier to any kind of “big picture” decision making. To change the prevailing institutional protocols that limit, prevent, or discourage data sharing, stakeholders need the permission, protection, and mandates afforded them through policies, legal statutes, and regulations along with technical assistance and capacity building to act on these levers. Water service providers seeking the cooperation and assistance of other departments or agencies would do well to involve them from the beginning as owner-stakeholders in the transition to smart water management. This happens through genuine communication efforts with different stakeholders, highlighting the mutual benefits of the timely and comprehensive transfer of information between all partners.
D. Improved Decision Making
It can reasonably be said that a city is only as good as the decisions being made about it. Smart water management exists for the fundamental purpose of improving the quality of decision making in daily operations and emergency situations, which as a result of its automated functionalities improve the entire system's operation and overall service performance. All stakeholders, beginning with water service providers, must meet at a knowledge baseline regarding data utilization. A water service provider can replace every last meter with a smart meter, deploy a network of remote sensors, and connect water infrastructure to a multitude of IoT devices to obtain a vast array of water-related data, but the data itself— in its silos—cannot support overall water management improvements. Smart water systems are designed to automate functions and have the capacity to integrate and process data. For that, a system must be able to question (through AI) which data is relevant and effective, which data needs further mining, and how to make the best use of acquired data through proactive curating and analysis.
Because of the technical nature of the decision making and the stakes involved (long-term compatibility and versatility), water service providers must secure or be provided technical assistance in deciphering through systems, software, and options. Capacity building as a part of the early strategic development stage of smart water management should not be underestimated. Without effective data utilization, the acquisition of big data may waste valuable resources if not used in "smart” ways and may ultimately confuse or crowd-out effective decision making.
The knowledge demands of smart water systems should not intimidate water service providers from considering the adoption of smart water management. It is advisable to shape a strategy that suits current needs and map out future directions, building on existing assets. At this stage a water service provider must insist on resources for training and technical assistance in the early stages of forming a strategy and roadmap. Just as sector development plans must plan for the short, medium, and long terms, the approach to decisions about technology must also think long term. This can seem like a paradox given the pace that technology regenerates or even becomes obsolete. This can be overcome by planning and deciding on smart water choices with not just today's needs in mind but with a keen eye to the future. Decisions should reflect long-term development trends and incorporate features of feasibility and scalability that can meet future challenges. Water service providers must approach these decisions with an agreed understanding of the specific needs of the city and its own objectives and goals as a service provider. 45
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Appendix 1: Persons Supporting the Study
Name Organization Position ZHAO Joe Q ADB consultant Team Leader / Urban Water Specialist JI Min ADB consultant Urban Water Specialist WU Lie ADB consultant Urban Water Conservation Specialist ZHENG Frank Q ADB consultant IT and Database Platform Specialist GE Amy Asian Development Bank Interpreter SU Jing Jinghai District Government Vice Mayor ZHANG Jiliang Finance Division in Tianjin Municipality Finance Bureau Director CHEN Yan Finance Division in Tianjin Municipality Finance Bureau Deputy Director SUN Guoying Finance Division in Tianjin Municipality Finance Bureau Section Chief KONG Fanming Jinghai District Finance Bureau Director General DONG Shumin State Owned Assets Section in Jinghai District Finance Section Chief Bureau GUO Yajun Jinghai District Development and Report Commission Deputy Director ZHANG Xizhong Jinghai District Economic Bureau Section Chief CHANG Zihe Jinghai District Water Affair Bureau Deputy Director YIN Guiqiang Planning & Designing Section in Jinghai District Water Section Chief Affair Bureau YANG Zhongming Jinghai District Planning Bureau Deputy Director ZHAO Hongyu Jinghai District Construction Commission Deputy Director LEI Lei Jinghai District Environment Protection Bureau Section Chief TANG Xiao Tianjin Jinghong Investment and Development Co., Ltd General Manager LI Zeqin Tianjin Jinghong Investment and Development Co., Ltd Section Chief YIN Jianfen Jinghai Smart City Office Section Chief CHANG Kelian Jinghai District Water Supply Company General Manager TIAN Hao Beijing Philisense Co., Ltd Technical Chief LI Xuesen Huawei Technologies Ltd Technical Chief LI Yuqi Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited Technical Chief 48
Appendix 2: National Smart City Policies from the People's Republic of China
Category Standard Name Standard No Data Storage Classification of water conservancy information SL701-2014 Common terms of water conservancy informatization SL/Z376-2007 Core metadata of water conservancy information SL473-2010 Coding rules and codes of water conservancy government information SL200-2013 Specification for table structure and identifier compilation of water SL478-2010 conservancy information database Table structure and identifier of water conservancy government SL707-2015 information database Data dictionary of water conservancy spatial elements SL729-2016 Database structure and identifier of water conservancy project SL700-2015 construction and management Structure and identifier of credit information database of water SL691-2014 conservancy construction market Hydrological information coding SL330-2011 Table structure and identifier standard of basic hydrological database SL324-2005 Table structure and identifier standard of real-time rainfall and water SL323-2005 regime database Table structure and identifier of real time engineering database SL577-2013 Table structure and identifier of historical flood database SL591-2014 Specification for hydrological data catalog service SL736-2016 Drought information classification SL546-2013 Standard for classification and coding of hydrological data GIS SL385-2007 Table structure and identifier of soil and water conservation database SL513-2011 Table structure and identifier of water conservancy science and SL458-2009 technology information database Table structure and identifier of water resources monitoring and SL380-2007 management database Regulations on compilation of object code of water resource management GB/T33113-2016 information Table structure and identifier standard of talent management database SL453-2009 Code for water conservancy engineering SL213-2012 Graphical Product model of digital map of water conservancy foundation SL/Z351-2006 representation Drawing and expression standard of water conservancy spatial elements SL730-2015 Metadata standard of water conservancy geospatial information SL420-2007 49
Category Standard Name Standard No Acquisition and Guide for coding of hydrological stations SL502-2010 transmission Code of water and soil conservation monitoring point SL452-2009 Real time water regime exchange protocol SL/Z388-2007 Hydrological monitoring data communication protocol SL651-2014 Regulations on the preparation of proposals for water conservancy SL/Z346-2006 information system Regulations on the preparation of feasibility study report of water SL/Z331-2005 conservancy information system Regulations on Preparation of preliminary design report of water SL/Z332-2005 conservancy information system General guide for design method of water conservancy information SL/Z589-2013 business process Guide to the construction of water conservancy information network SL434-2008 Code for acceptance of water conservancy informatization projects SL588-2013 Technical specification for water conservancy video monitoring system SL 515-2013 Guide for construction and application of smart water information system ISBN： (foundation of smart water information system structure; water supply 9787507430806 production process monitoring system; dispatching management information system; geographic information of water supply network; hydraulic dynamic mathematical model system of water supply network; informatization of urban water supply quality management; customer service Business system; decision support system; network leakage; security assurance of intelligent water information system; planning and construction workflow of intelligent water information system Operation and Code for operation and maintenance of water conservancy information SL715-2015 Maintenance system Regulations for network management of water conservancy information SL444-2009 network Regulations on naming and IP address distribution of water conservancy SL307-2004 information network Management regulations for water conservancy data center SL604-2012
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Appendix 3: National Smart Water Policies from the People's Republic of China
Category Standard Name Standard No Data Storage Classification of water conservancy information SL701-2014 Common terms of water conservancy informatization SL/Z376-2007 Core metadata of water conservancy information SL473-2010 Coding rules and codes of water conservancy government information SL200-2013 Specification for table structure and identifier compilation of water SL478-2010 conservancy information database Table structure and identifier of water conservancy government SL707-2015 information database Data dictionary of water conservancy spatial elements SL729-2016 Database structure and identifier of water conservancy project SL700-2015 construction and management Structure and identifier of credit information database of water SL691-2014 conservancy construction market Hydrological information coding SL330-2011 Table structure and identifier standard of basic hydrological database SL324-2005 Table structure and identifier standard of real-time rainfall and water SL323-2005 regime database Table structure and identifier of real time engineering database SL577-2013 Table structure and identifier of historical flood database SL591-2014 Specification for hydrological data catalog service SL736-2016 Drought information classification SL546-2013 Standard for classification and coding of hydrological data GIS SL385-2007 Table structure and identifier of soil and water conservation database SL513-2011 Table structure and identifier of water conservancy science and SL458-2009 technology information database Table structure and identifier of water resources monitoring and SL380-2007 management database Regulations on compilation of object code of water resource management GB/T33113-2016 information Table structure and identifier standard of talent management database SL453-2009 Code for water conservancy engineering SL213-2012 Graphical Product model of digital map of water conservancy foundation SL/Z351-2006 representation Drawing and expression standard of water conservancy spatial elements SL730-2015 Metadata standard of water conservancy geospatial information SL420-2007 51
Category Standard Name Standard No Acquisition and Guide for coding of hydrological stations SL502-2010 transmission Code of water and soil conservation monitoring point SL452-2009 Real time water regime exchange protocol SL/Z388-2007 Hydrological monitoring data communication protocol SL651-2014 Regulations on the preparation of proposals for water conservancy SL/Z346-2006 information system Regulations on the preparation of feasibility study report of water SL/Z331-2005 conservancy information system Regulations on Preparation of preliminary design report of water SL/Z332-2005 conservancy information system General guide for design method of water conservancy information SL/Z589-2013 business process Guide to the construction of water conservancy information network SL434-2008 Code for acceptance of water conservancy informatization projects SL588-2013 Technical specification for water conservancy video monitoring system SL 515-2013 Operation and Code for operation and maintenance of water conservancy information SL715-2015 Maintenance system Regulations for network management of water conservancy information SL444-2009 network Regulations on naming and IP address distribution of water conservancy SL307-2004 information network Management regulations for water conservancy data center SL604-2012
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Appendix 4: Sustainable Development Goals and Smart Water Management
The following table was adapted from the seminal collaborative work of the International Water Resources Association and the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water).
Examples of the Potential Contribution of Smart Water Management (SWM) solutions to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Related Targets
1. No poverty Target 1.4 – Supporting equal rights to economic resources, natural resources and new technology through introducing smart soil moisture monitors to assist farmers in increasing irrigation efficiency leading to increased crop productivity, income and improved land management. Target 1.5 – Building resilience to climate related extreme events through adopting flood and drought planning using satellite data across transboundary basins and smart integrated water resource management for national river basins. Target 1B – Supporting policy frameworks based on pro-poor and gender sensitive development through supporting community capacity and decision-making opportunities for women in farming.
2. Zero hunger Target 2.3 – Increasing agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers through increased irrigation efficiency and reduced nutrient loss using smart soil monitors and Agricultural Innovation Platforms. Target 2.4 – Moving towards sustainable food production and resilient practices through increasing farmers’ awareness of sustainable water management and irrigation and reduced fertilizer use and water reuse for aquaculture.
3. Good health and well-being Target 3.9 – Reducing the number of deaths and illness from water pollution and contamination through improving water quality for drinking purposes.
4. Quality education Target 4.4 – Increasing the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills including technical and vocational skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship through job creation in the field of SWM technology development and implementation, capacity building in design for water professionals, and technical capacity building for youth and adults in the use of SWM technology and implementation.
5. Gender equality Target 5.5 – Increasing women’s participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making through increasing awareness and knowledge-sharing using real-time data leading to better decision-making opportunities for women.
6. Clean water and sanitation Target 6.1 – Achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
through increasing awareness and receptivity to drinking tap water through knowledge-sharing using real-time data. Target 6.2 – Achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all through ensuring efficient treatment of sanitation using real-time monitoring and automated treatment. Target 6.3 – Improving water quality by reducing pollution through monitoring and filtering contaminants using real-time sensors and treatment.
Target 6.4 – Substantially increasing water-use efficiency through improved irrigation efficiency, reduced leakages, reduced consumption, capture and reuse of rainwater and increased storage capacity.
Target 6.5 – Implement integrated water resources management at all levels through integrated river basin and dam management, sanitation and water management network integration, transboundary flood and drought management and planning using satellite 53
data and Agricultural Innovation Platforms for integrating governance. Target 6.6 – Protect and restore water-related ecosystems through reduced pollutant loads in wastewater through smart monitoring and treatment, restoring ecosystems and fish populations, and reduced stormwater pollution reaching waterways through smart cisterns. Target 6A – Expand international cooperation and capacity building to support developing countries through supporting transboundary basin agencies with flood and drought planning and management using satellite data and replicating successful SWM projects in developing countries. Target 6B – Strengthening the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management through involving local stakeholders from the beginning of the project and learning from community experiences.
7. Affordable and clean energy Target 7.3 – Doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency through energy optimization and increasing water efficiency, thereby reducing energy intensive processes.
8. Decent work and economic growth
Target 8.1 – Sustaining per capita growth in accordance with national circumstances through increased job opportunities in research and development, project management and construction.
Target 8.2 – Achieving higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation through supporting research and development in SWM technology.
Target 8.5 – Achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities through increasing capacity building and reducing the time required for low skilled tasks (e.g. irrigation), thereby increasing the time available for further education and employment opportunities for women and youth in particular
Target 8.6 – Substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training through capacity building and further education
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Target 9.1 – Developing quality, reliable, resilient infrastructure to support economic development through integrating SWM technologies to traditional infrastructure to improve accuracy and reliability.
Target 9.4 – Upgrading infrastructure for resource efficiency through leak detection and water consumption monitoring.
10. Reducing inequalities Target 10.1 – Providing support and income growth for the bottom 40% of the population through improving agricultural techniques (e.g. efficient irrigation, higher value crops and improve market integration) to increase crop productivity and income. Target 10.2 – Empowering and promoting social, economic and political inclusion for all through providing data to all water users and enabling local stakeholders to be involved in decision-making. Target 10.3 – Promoting opportunities for women and youth through increased education opportunities, increased decision-making and increased high skilled employment.
11. Sustainable cities and communities Target 11.4 – Strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage through reducing the impact of natural disasters such as droughts and floods.
Target 11.5 – Significantly reducing the number of deaths and numbers of people affected by disasters, including water-related disasters through integrated operational water management and future planning for floods and droughts using satellite data and weather predictions.
Target 11A – Supporting positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by 54
strengthening national and regional development planning through transboundary planning with local basin authorities using satellite data. Target 11B – Substantially increasing the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards resource efficiency, adaptation to climate change and resilience to disasters through planning, increased resource efficiency, and local storage of water.
12. Responsible consumption and production Target 12.2 – Achieving the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources through efficient water use, leak reduction, energy optimization and reduced reagent consumption. Target 12.8 – Ensuring that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature through increased community engagement and knowledge dissemination using real-time data and results.
13. Climate action Target 13.1 – Strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries through optimizing infrastructure to manage crisis situations, reducing pressure on centralized infrastructure in the case of flooding and by integrating SWM into adaptive planning and forecasting.
Target 13.2 – Integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
using data and forecasting to integrate plans for future flood and drought events at a national and transboundary level. Target 13.3 – Improving education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning through increasing community awareness of the importance of water and their role in its management
Target 13B – Promoting mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island states through increasing awareness using real-time data on water consumption and access and future challenges.
14. Life below water
Target 14.1 – Preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including nutrient pollution through reducing non-point source pollution (e.g. fertilizer, stormwater contaminants; and treating wastewater before returning it to the waterways.
15. Life on land Target 15.3 – Combating desertification, restoring degraded land and soil, included land affected by drought and floods through flood and drought planning tools and integrated operational flood and drought management. Target 15.5 – Taking urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halting the loss of biodiversity through integrated flood and drought management.
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions Target 16.6 – Developing effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels through increasing access to data for all water users. Target 16.7 – Ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels through providing a forum for water users to contribute their ideas and access information and real-time data.
17. Partnerships for the Goals Target 17.6 – Enhancing regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing through collaborations between local and international agencies and capacity building for local workers. 55
Target 17.7- Promoting the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favorable terms through enhancing knowledge-sharing through partnerships.
Source: International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and the Korean Water Resources Corporation (K-water). 2018. Smart Water Management Project (Case Study Report). Deajeon, Korea: K-water.
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Appendix 5: Recommended Implementation Timeframe for the Smart Water System
Item Phase and Tasks Duration 1.0 Phase I: Master Planning 12 months 1.1 Review smart city plan and water action plan and formulate design criteria for smart 6 months water 1.2 Specify smart water principles and activities to reflect principles 6 months 1.3 Specify water stewardship stakeholders and activities 9 months 1.4 Specify engineering and management gaps and demands for developing smart water 9 months 1.5 Specify existing information and communication technology (ICT) and relevant 6 months processing technologies 1.6 Identify financial, institutional, and technical resources to commit the smart water master 9 months plan (SWMP) 1.7 Documentation of SWMP and issuance to the public 3 months 1.8 Promotion to stakeholders, including leading committee, expert panel, operators, 9 months communities, stakeholders, etc., to participate in smart water management 2.0 Phase II: Engineering Solutions and Management, Service Improvement 3 years 2.1 Detailed project designs for each identified smart water component 1 2.2 Tender and contracting process to start each project 1 2.3 Implementation of each project including supply and installation 1.5 2.4 Testing and commissioning including monitoring and integration of various infrastructure 1.5 projects and ICT applications 2.5 Operation and management capacity building to improve working efficiency of 3 administrative agencies and operators 2.6 Integration with each project into the Smart City Platform 3 2.7 Smart Water System Operation Ongoing 2.8 Public participation in each project and overall process Ongoing 3.0 Phase III: Evaluation and Upgrading From second phase of 3.1 Evaluation of each project, component of smart water system implementation 3.2 Feedback to stakeholders and identify the improvement and upgrade needs and continuing 3.3 Implementation of the recommended measures 3.4 Evaluation of the outputs, outcomes and impacts of smart water management 3.5 Promotion of smart water management 3.6 Continuous practice of evaluation and improvement