“Smart Water” Campaign
Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency is launching a “Smart Water” campaign that will monitor water quality of the country’s coastline and its lakes and rivers. According to earth-stream.com, the Irish are going to use “smart sensors, wireless transmitters and analytic software to continuously manage and monitor water quality.”
Scientists were already monitoring water quality before by taking samples from various sites, analyzing them and producing water quality reports. So what are the benefits?
With smart sensors that continuously provide updated information, they can quickly monitor changes in bacteria, toxins, tides, etc. and respond quickly. A system of smart sensors, then, can alert the EPA to a leak or other catastrophe immediately and allow them to contain the problem, or at least try to minimize its impact.
It would be great if like thermostats, every home in the U.S. had smart sensors, to monitor not only daily water use but also quality. When I get a water bill at the end of the month, I rarely notice how much water I actually used, unless my bill is higher than average (like when my toilet was leaking!). Seeing daily usage in terms of actual cubic feet of water used and the cost in dollars would, I’m sure, help the average consumer become more water conscious.
Arran, Ireland (from Wikimedia Commons)
