Integrated Water Management Platform
Jesse @ stock.adobe.com
A cloud-based platform used for real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization of water resources. Water data is gathered from sensors distributed across the water system, from aquifers and other water sources to distribution pipes, irrigation, and sewage systems. This platform automatically integrates and updates data from groundwater and surface water levels, as well as the presence of contaminants. Depending on the scenario, an alert is sent to the operators, who can proactively counteract any issues that might arise, such as floods, droughts, or undesired chemicals and pathogens, providing an early-warning system.
This platform is commonly used by city planners, regulators, managers, or farmers, which subsequently use the data gathered to understand aquifer's response to climate change, identify sources of contamination, assess the impact of changes in the environment, among other decision-making variables.
Gender Equality
Challenges
Current water modeling methodologies rarely include gender even though women and girls carry the primary responsibility for their domestic water management (which includes, but not exclusively, saving water, transportation, paying the bills), but tend to be disadvantaged in decision making related to public water management. If this technology is not applied in compliance with gendered water rights initiatives (relating to creating equalization between water management), it has the potential to increase the already existing gaps between the access and control of resources.
Opportunities
Water management and access are matters that deeply affect gender-issues. This solution could sustainably optimize the current systems of managing and gaining access to water.
If the system is implemented in conjunction with communities with water management and access issues, they may have the opportunity to learn more about the most pressing problems and begin to create solutions to tackle them.
Gendered water rights determine access and control over groundwater resources; the modeling of the integrated groundwater management system should be mindful to help develop a strategy aimed to improve the livelihoods and well-being of people in the community by understanding their personal necessities.
For the water sector, gender mainstreaming presents an opportunity to build on existing gender-related efforts in order to include and acknowledge all users and managers of water in these management systems.
