Innovating Water Management: technology at the service of a more sustainable future

Water management is now at the heart of a profound transformation, driven by the need to reconcile operational efficiency with environmental sustainability. In a global context in which extreme events, water scarcity and infrastructure inefficiencies put pressure on water systems, technological innovation is a key lever for rethinking the water cycle in an integrated, resilient and sustainable perspective.

Water Management is no longer just an engineering or operational issue: it is becoming a complex ecosystem, where digitalisation, data analytics, automation and new business models are intertwined with social and environmental challenges. In this scenario, as highlighted by Davide Chiaroni, Director of the Master in Water Management at POLIMI Graduate School of Management, the sector is still lagging behind other utilities, such as energy and gas, in terms of digital transformation and innovation capacity.

To meet this challenge, we need new skills and a cultural paradigm shift, as well as technological solutions capable of improving every phase of the water cycle: from measuring consumption to treatment and reuse, from crisis prevention to interaction with citizens and businesses.

Professor Chiaroni, to what extent is technological transformation affecting the management of water resources? Which technologies – digital, monitoring, forecasting or treatment – are contributing most to improving sustainability and efficiency in this field?

Technological transformation has begun to have an increasing impact on water management, but it is doing so with a certain delay compared to other sectors. Water is, in fact, the last utility to have started an extensive digitalisation process. The first step was the introduction of smart meters: this revolution began in electricity, continued in gas, and is now finally involving the water sector. These tools, while still not widely used, are essential to make final consumption measurement more effective, timely and correct.

But digitalisation isn't just about consumption tracking. It is also crucial for monitoring networks, identifying leaks, and managing supply and distribution systems. In these areas, automation and system intelligence can lead to a radical leap in quality, though there is still much work to be done to bridge the gap with respect to available potential.

Alongside these digital solutions, more engineering-based technologies are also being developed. I am thinking, for example, of new materials and ‘no dig’ technologies, which allow interventions on water infrastructure without having to excavate or replace it completely. These are fundamental innovations for making water transport within cities more efficient, reducing the cost and environmental impact of infrastructure works.

Finally, there are also advanced technological solutions for industry, in particular in the water filtration, recovery and recycling processes. Innovation here is a mix of engineering, chemistry, and environmental treatment, and extends to end-of-life management – from purification to sludge treatment – where there is still plenty of scope for developing solutions that exploit resources sustainably.

What are the main use cases or technological models that are making a difference? In particular, what innovations are proving most promising in preventing water crises or reducing waste?

Among the most relevant use cases are certainly design solutions geared to water reuse and recycling, including in urban areas. I am thinking, for example, of the use of rainwater in the home: in addition to having a direct impact on reducing waste, this option is linked to the concepts of sustainable architecture. In an urban context where the impact of extreme rainfall is increasingly significant, designing buildings and neighbourhoods that can collect, store and reuse water becomes a strategic and farsighted choice.

A second promising area is the integration of water into industrial cycles according to district or symbiotic models. For example, district heating networks using recovered heat can be connected to water systems to provide hot water for civil use. In this logic, synergies between industries, crafts and cities are imagined, which could lead to new forms of circular economy. Even if we are still in the early days, the potential is high: we talk about models that can connect territories, production sectors and communities in a single vision of sustainability.

In this sense, to what extent can technology also support dialogue between different stakeholders – institutions, companies, citizens – for more sustainable shared water management? And to what extent can data analytics contribute to more informed and timely decisions at ecosystem level?

Stakeholder dialogue is one of the key issues for effective water management, and technology can be a powerful facilitator in this regard. Let us think about the prevention of extreme phenomena: with distributed and intelligent monitoring systems, integrated with control mechanisms at territorial level, it is possible to build a widespread preventive network, capable of acting in real time.

An evocative example is that of the ‘MOSE’ flood barriers in Venice: a system that is automatically activated when the water exceeds a certain threshold, protecting the city. Although we are talking about seawater, the same principle can be applied to river basins, containment systems and heavy rainfall. Today, however, monitoring is not yet as widespread or digitalised as it could be.

But technology is useful even in the most ordinary phenomena. Digital apps and tools have already accustomed citizens and businesses to monitoring and optimising energy or gas consumption. At the moment, this is not the case  for water, where interaction with the end user is often absent or based on analogue mechanisms. Yet here, too, there would be room to build business models and digital tools that can drive virtuous behaviour and strengthen the link between supplier and user. This is not only a technological opportunity, but also a cultural one.

In this scenario, what skills are needed today to drive technological innovation in Water Management? How does POLIMI GSoM, with its dedicated Master, work to train professional figures capable of operating at their best in this regard, with the right skills and a clear and well-defined Purpose?

Innovation in Water Management today requires a very complex set of skills. First, you need technical expertise in data analysis, system digitalisation, interface design and control tools. But knowing how to develop them is not enough; you also need the ability to manage and integrate them into business processes, a skill that is often lacking in the profiles currently operating in the sector.

Secondly, it is crucial to strengthen the skills related to innovation management. The water sector has traditionally been focused on operations and maintenance, with less attention placed on research and development or the testing of new business models. To change pace, you need a different mindset, a corporate culture that values change and also attracts digital talent, people who often do not see the industry as an attractive place today.

This is where POLIMI Graduate School of Management’s educational proposal comes in. Our Master in Water Management was created precisely to fill this gap: to build profiles with in-depth knowledge of the water system, including its regulatory and normative aspects – a topic very present and relevant in this sector – but who at the same time are bearers of digital and technological innovation. People who can act as agents of change, capable of integrating managerial, regulatory and technological skills.

Our goal is not to replace existing engineering or regulatory training, but to complement it. Companies need experts in hydraulic technologies and regulations, as well as innovation managers, project leaders and professionals who can translate the potential of technologies into real transformation. With our Master, we want to respond to this need.