New Apps Tackle Persistent Water Problems
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
Innovative Mobile ApplicationsProvide Smart Solutions to Serious Water Problems Worldwide
The water industry is increasingly looking to harness the power of mobile phone technology
Service Disruptions
NextDropis a messaging service that informs people of planned delays or unexpected alterations to their service. Citizens can also text in updates about faults, which NextDrop forwards to the relevant water utility. The service has already been rolled out to over 75,000 mobile users.
IBM is pioneering a similar system. TheCreek Watchapp crowdsources information from citizens about the height and flow speed of their local watercourses, plus the amount of rubbish in evidence. These public updates feed real-time into a central database, which water control boards then use to track pollution and improve their general water resource management. Initially launched in San Jose, California, the app is now used in over 25 countries.
Safe drinking
mWateraims to tackle the spread of diarrhoea and other water-related diseases by engaging citizens in water quality testing. The early-stage pilot is based in Mwanza, Tanzania's second largest city, where a baseline study revealed faecal contamination in 90% of shallow dug wells and springs.
The app uses the onboard cameras on mobile phones, plus a $5 testing kit, to automatically detect colonies of coliform and E coli bacteria. The findings are instantly analysed and shared with local communities through an online map of safe water sources.
Drought measures
TheDropcountrapp follows a recent plea from the state governor for Californians to reduce water consumption by one fifth. The app includes alerts that warn customers before they hit "peak water usage", as well as information about leaks.People can also use their phones to dob in the neighbours.
The social media serviceVizSafeallows phone owners to send anonymous reports about water wastage.
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