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Is the future of drinking water defined by robotics with robots empowering water utilities?
FREMONT, CA: In the vision of the smart city, next-generation smart grids, smarter buildings, and smart transportation systems are ideas that are often discussed about. Smart water management stands equally important, and there is a need to develop efficient approaches to conserve water resources. This calls for the development of the technology for tracking and saving every drop of water. This is where water utilities can use robotic innovations. Here are some ways robotics can help in bettering water management.
• Leak-Detection
Water leakages are substantial contributions to global water scarcity. Today, a soft-sided robot in the market moves along the inside of the pipe and detects water leaks. The sensors attached to these robots can detect changes in force caused by water escaping because of a hole. This robot can also confirm the location of the leak. This is far superior to several current methods that require water utility workers to dig up sections to find the source of the problem.
• Cleaning Water Storages
Robotics companies have developed robots that can provide diving services to clean water storage. These kinds of robots are made oil-free to avoid polluting drinking water and use small amounts of food-grade oils. Also, when these robots take care of cleaning, they do not stir up the water or otherwise harm the water supply.
• Replacing Water Supply Pipes
Currently, water utilities are using an inefficient system for replacing water supply pipes. Utilities only replace the pipes according to their age and do about a half percent of the entire network annually. Also, replacing pipes is expensive. Using the algorithms, robots can figure out the pipes which are most likely to be replaced. This system can predict future failure rates with high accuracy too. With a clear picture of replacement, water utilities can better allocate their resources.
The above list gives an overview of some pioneering ways to apply robotics in water management. These use cases could help water utilities operate more efficiently and provide the customer with more consistent access to clean water.
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