The teamEsther Karaya, Geospatial Engineering, University of Nairobi, contact:+254769004045, [email protected]
I have experience in GIS and Remote sensing, AWS, Machine Learning algorithms, Python programming, SQL, and data visualization. I am passionate about realizing the sustainable development goals. My goal is to use data and technology for resource management and risk mitigation.
John Wesley, Geospatial Engineering, University of Nairobi contact:+254 706328458, [email protected]
I have experience in AI, Full Stack web development, UI/UX design, web mapping, data analysis, GIS, and Sustainability studies. Driven by a desire to advance the geospatial engineering field, I’m focused on creating a community where professionals can connect, share best practices, and collectively drive innovation.
Overview
There is an urgent need to protect our natural resources and utilize them in a responsible way (SDG12) while providing clean water and sanitation (SDG6) to all, which plays a large role in ensuring good health and wellbeing (SDG3) and reducing poverty and inequality (SDG 1&10).
Globally, around 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and about 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services.Additionally, water scarcity affects more than 40% of the global population and is projected to worsen with climate change and population growth.
Proper demand assessment and understanding of the water use pattern is crucial considering the demographical challenges and, overexploitation of groundwater for agriculture and industrial usage that has induced water stress, resulting in water scarcity and increased contaminations.
Water systems are complex, and often lack of sufficient monitoring infrastructure to continuously track water resources. Without this data at crucial planning stages, it would be difficult to implement efficient systems. Data-driven water security and safety requires meticulous Water Resource Management (WRM).
Concept
Water Network Simulation(WNS) is a data-exploiting solution that best fits and fixes the complexity of water systems capturing different factors and scenarios affecting water resource management. It brings about the concept of real-time/near real-time assessments and gives the possibility of prediction. Examples of WNS done in India include the National Water Supply and Sanitation Mission which promotes the use of water network simulations for improving water supply systems in rural and urban areas and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission which supports the implementation of water network simulations for urban water supply systems. Although several WNS exist, they have not been fully exploited due to factors like unfriendly user interfaces, high cost, poor implementation, and lack of interoperability.
Our water network simulation system helps water utilities and government agencies who want to optimize water resource management by employing open-source software and readily available technology to develop a more cost-effective, transferable, flexible, and scalable system. The solution explores user friendliness of models enabling easy use and adoption among the stakeholders. This is achieved by integrating GIS, Remote Sensing, IoT, terrain, and hydrological modeling using LiDAR technology, producing real-time data for continuous monitoring.
The solution involves :
-data collection for network simulation
-Inspection and update on and from the simulated system.
-Integrating monitoring and warning systems
-Operation and maintenance of the WRM system from the simulation
-Expansion of the simulation system through overlay analysis
-System transfer /construction of a new WRM system through overlaying and profiling the simulation system with specific local data.
This system makes it easier to monitor the quality of water being supplied to the community, leakage detection can be done effectively and the use of smart valves enables the control of water flow hence supplying water as per the demand. With the visualization of available water networks, stakeholders can better decide on more areas to lay down pipelines for water distribution.
Stakeholders and Partners
The key stakeholders of this solution are the communities, government agencies and water utilities agencies.
