Using Technology to Solve Today’s Water Challenges

The report explores the integration of 'fintech' (IoT, big data, AI, and blockchain) into environmental science to address water challenges exacerbated by climate change. Through case studies like the Jefferson Project and Copernicus, it demonstrates how real-time data and advanced analytics enable early warning systems, fill critical data gaps, and inform sustainable decision-making in watersheds, agriculture, and urban environments.

• The Jefferson Project at Lake George, New York, utilizes an IoT network of over 42 sensor platforms to create a high-resolution, real-time image of the lake, allowing researchers to project future scenarios and watershed responses for decision-making.
• The Copernicus European Earth Observation Programme provides free, open-access satellite imagery and in-situ data, producing over 10 petabytes of data annually to inform decisions on climate change, emergency management, and resource planning.
• The ASIMUTH project, using Copernicus data, reduced mussel industry losses from harmful algal blooms (HABs) by approximately 12.5 per cent in France, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, saving nearly USD 2.6 million.
• In Lower Austria, the use of Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 imagery for precision agriculture enabled a 70 per cent cost reduction for irrigation management in the Marchfeld region.
• Citizen science platforms, such as Mackenzie DataStream, CoCoRaHS, Järviwiki, and the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network, fill critical 'dark data' gaps and increase trust between citizens and decision-makers.
• The Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network uses the Fulcrum app to collect metadata and water samples from volunteers across Manitoba to identify sources of phosphorus pollution.
• Farmers Edge employs IoT sensor networks and AI-supported analytics to optimize agricultural inputs, which reduces water pollution from overapplication of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Smart city IoT networks in New York City led to a ban on certain heating oils, resulting in an approximate 70 per cent decrease in atmospheric sulphur dioxide, which reduces the risk of acid rain.
• The City of Stockholm is implementing a three-phase 'source-to-sewage' water quality monitoring system using IoT sensors to detect pollution, algal blooms, and bacteria in real time.

APA

Stanley, M., & Gunn, G. (2018). Using Technology to Solve Today’s Water Challenges. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/using-technology-solve-water-challenges.pdf

Chicago

Stanley, Madeline, and Geoffrey Gunn. Using Technology to Solve Today’s Water Challenges. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/using-technology-solve-water-challenges.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stanley |first1=Madeline |last2=Gunn |first2=Geoffrey |title=Using Technology to Solve Today’s Water Challenges |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2018 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/using-technology-solve-water-challenges.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stanley2018using, author = {Stanley, Madeline and Gunn, Geoffrey}, title = {{Using Technology to Solve Today’s Water Challenges}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/using-technology-solve-water-challenges.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }