DESPITE the efforts that have been set in motion, water remains a growing concern, posing a significant threat to our future.
This World Environment Day serves as a stark reminder: to weather the coming storms and droughts, we must double down on our efforts to improve water resilience through innovation, local adaptation, and collaboration.
The past two decades have seen a surge in innovative water technologies. One good example is how on-demand water supply has been made possible with Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies.
With remote sensors, the system can monitor real-time water demand and automatically adjust water flow, reducing excessive pressure in the water pipes. This in turn limits water leakages and losses in a city's water infrastructure, minimising cost and energy.
However, these advancements are just the beginning. The escalating climate change demands more.
We need to double down on innovation and push the boundaries further to accelerate the change we need. Take flood control as an example — there are diverse solutions targeted at mitigating the impact of flooding.
However, due to aging infrastructure, more frequent extreme weather events, and capacity limitations amidst rapid urbanisation, flooding is still wreaking havoc in many cities.
In 2023, extreme weather, climate, and water-related hazards affected over nine million people in Asia, with a death toll of over 2,000. More than 80 per cent of the reported hydrometeorological hazards in Asia were flood and storm events.
At the end of 2023, floods from heavy rainfall forced over 28,000 people in Malaysia to leave their homes, with water levels hitting a record high. In total, floods in Malaysia caused RM800 million in losses in 2023.
Embracing an innovative and proactive approach to flood control, researchers and businesses are now looking at using real-time data and AI to predict where and when a flood may happen, and how a city's water infrastructure can work collaboratively to minimise its impact.
This includes leveraging new sensor and telemetry technologies to predict and prevent spillages and overflow to enhance a city's sewer security.
Water crisis manifests differently across the globe. Depending on the country's land area, water challenges experienced by one city can be extreme opposites to another.
Although the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is prone to floods, the northeast and southeast regions are more likely to be hit by short-term droughts.
It is vital to apply a local lens when tackling water challenges. Doubling down on local adaptation helps sharpen our focus to maximise the benefits.
The solar pump is a good example of innovation tailored to local conditions, offering a sustainable and reliable solution by utilising the abundant solar energy available in some regions to power water supply systems.
Beyond the core solar pump technology, local adaptation strategies can unlock even greater benefits. A remote cattle farm station in Australia's outback, spanning nearly one million acres, raises a herd of more than 13,000 Brahman breeders.
Access to fresh water is crucial to their survival, and this station relies on a network of 67 bores. However, the unique challenge of managing all of these bores falls onto the shoulders of just one person.
To address this manpower shortage, solar pump solutions have been ingeniously combined with low Earth orbit satellite technology. This allows the single bore runner to remotely monitor the water supply in real-time, even in areas without cellular network.
"A team is only as strong as its weakest link," and this holds true for global water security. To date, a staggering 2 billion people still lack basic access to safe drinking water.
True water resilience demands doubling down on collaboration — a collective effort by the governments, businesses, and communities is what we need to amplify impact.
The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG) is a key example on the impact that collaboration can create.
A global public-private-civil society partnership, 2030 WRG works with governments, private sector companies, and civil society organisations to identify and implement solutions that improve water security.
As of today, it has secured US$993 million in financing facilitated for water-related programmes in 14 countries, leading to improved water governance and increased investment in water infrastructure.
The future we inherit is the consequence of the choice we make today. By doubling down on our efforts to innovate, improve, and collaborate, we can transform challenges like drought and desertification into opportunities for progress.
Weathering the storms helps us get through the present, but it is the relentless pursuit of improvement that propels us toward a more water-secure future.
The writer is Regional Managing Director APAC – Water Utility & Executive Director Grundfos Australia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times