Satellite-enabled internet of things for water management

In 2018, over two billion people worldwide lived in countries experiencing water stress. The ESA-sponsored Blue Desert project uses IoT and EO data to deliver insights into water usage, quality and environmental effects to tackle water scarcity and improve water management.​

Source: UN Water

The Blue Desert service aims at tackling water scarcity and at improving water management. It is an integrated monitoring software concept for water infrastructure in arid regions. It gathers Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data and combines this with satellite imagery and infrastructure information to deliver insight into water usage, water quality and environmental effects. The service aims at providing tailored information to customers through an intuitive web application, task-based mobile apps and automated alarm subscriptions. The service mainly targets private companies in food/beverage, mining, construction and agricultural industries; (hydro) engineering consultancy companies, telecom and IoT service providers; as well as environmental agencies, waterboards, and utilities. It integrates satellite Earth observation, IoT data and other geo-information sources into meaningful water risk indicators. The service uses satellite EO assets in order to measure changes in vegetation, water bodies, ground structures, environmental effects caused by water level changes, temperature, effects of droughts, and soil moisture. Additionally, it uses satellite communications to allow communications in remote locations.