Dutch startup huloAI is deploying cloud-based AI solutions to alleviate water scarcity.
We may all feel guilty about using too much water. However, most water waste occurs before precious resources enter our homes. This is because the national pipeline network is riddled with leaks – water scarcity is a growing global problem. Can AI be part of the solution?
The UK, for example, wastes more than 3 billion litres of high-quality drinking water every day. At the same time, Italy and its aging water infrastructure lose 42% of its drinking water every year. Globally, water losses are estimated at 45 billion litres per day.
Hulo., a start-up from Leuwarden, the NetherlandsAI wants to reduce water loss by connecting smart sensors with its advanced AI algorithms. Essentially, cloud-based solutions can optimize sensor location and detect and locate water leaks within the distribution network in real time.
If the leak is not detected in real time, it may exist for a long time, so you will lose a lot of water. It's part of it," huloRobbert Lodewijks, co-founder and CEO of AI, told TNW.
He continued: "The other part is that sometimes when a leak happens, you can't find it very quickly, and the damage that a leak can cause can get bigger over time. He was referring to potential sinkholes, railroads being washed away or hospitals being flooded — damaging the finances and reputation of utilities.
Improve leak detection accuracy.
Essentially, the technology minimizes the need for extensive physical infrastructure inspections. Typically, the understanding and control of pressure, flow and leakage throughout the water distribution system is done through what is known as DMA (Zone Surface Zone). By employing the method of shutting off certain valves and setting up flow meters, utilities can determine how much water has been lost before it reaches the consumer.
While water can also be "lost" due to non-metered consumption, hydrants, or inaccurate meters, about 90% of water loss comes from leaks. hulo.AI's technology narrows the highest potential area for spills without the need for DMA.
"In a network of about 20 x 10 kilometers, we can narrow it down to an area of 250 square meters, where we can speak," Lodewijks said'Hey, this 250 meter area is where the leak occurred. ”
In addition, huloAI says it can tailor solutions to specific customers and their needs.
Expanding dehydration technology to the world.
The start-up, a spin-off of the Wetsus Institute for Sustainable Water Technologies, has just raised €800,000 from VC company Lumo Labs and Enabling Water Technologies (New) in the Netherlands**. The money will be used to enhance the company's cloud-based solution, making it highly scalable and adaptable to different market needs around the world, including those where water scarcity is paramount.
Andy Lürling, Founding Partner of Lumo Labs, commented: "The growing global demand for sustainable water management solutions is both urgent and important. "We were huloAI is attracted by its cutting-edge AI technology with its potential to lead and transform the water management industry on a global scale.
Sensor quality is important.
The advent of smart sensors has the potential to dramatically reduce individual water use and collective waste. hulo.The AI algorithm is sensor-agnostic, which means it works with any pressure and flow sensor, so it doesn't rely on access to any one vendor.
However, this also means that the speed at which the algorithm responds will depend on the quality of the sensor. "Some utilities have sensors that send measurements every second, and some send data every minute or every 15 minutes," Lodewijks added. ”
It also determines how quickly you can respond to a leak. So, if we have data that we have every minute, we can tell you if a leak occurred at the last minute. If there is data every 15 minutes, then naturally, the time period will be longer. ”
The growing threat of water scarcity.
In this year's United Nations World Water Development Report, UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Water Resources warn that the global urban population facing water scarcity is expected to increase from 9.2 percent in 2016300 million doubled to 17-2.4 billion by 2050. That is, unless we effectively deploy water-saving technologies and large-scale international cooperation.
With greater water scarcity looming for generations to come, every drop counts. hulo.The founder of AI conceptualized some Friday drinks when he was detecting the mechanism of a pipe failure for another company, and their raison d'être was clear. lodewijks said:
Soon, we realized that we were actually aiming for 60 years old and said to our children that this technology, our algorithm, has helped water companies around the world and we got to a place where the fight against water scarcity is really a big problem. Then, the venture was already a great success. ”