The Water Development Department participates in the Project “SmartWater 2020/ Smart Water Distribution Networks for the Reduction of Losses” which is implemented within the framework of the Interreg V-A “Greece-Cyprus 2014-2020 Programme”.
SmartWater2020 is coordinated by the Research Excellence and Innovation Centre “Koios” of the University of Cyprus, with the participation of the Limassol and Larnaca Water Boards and the Technology and Research Institute as well as the Malevisio Municipal Enterprise for Irrigation, Sewage from Greece.
The inaugural meeting of the partners of SmartWater2020 took place on Thursday 21 December 2017 at the university of Cyprus.
This Project is co-financed by the Interreg Greece - Cyprus 2014-2020, European Regional Development Fund.
Throughout Europe, around 15-25% of drinking water flowing into the water networks is lost and is not invoiced, due to leakage and faults. This results in a huge financial cost for the water distribution organizations. The impact of this phenomenon is significant at insular areas of the Mediterranean such as Cyprus and Crete, where intense water scarcity is observed as well as a high desalination cost. The innovative technologies of smart water networks reinforce these organizations in their effort to reduce water losses and improve their ability to monitor and control the system.
The purpose of SmartWater2020 on “smart Water Distribution Networks for the Reduction of Losses” is based exactly on this effort. The project received financing amounting to €907.000 within the framework of Cooperation Programme INTERREG V-A “Greece-Cyprus 2014-2020”.
The main objectives of the Project shall be the installation of innovative technologies such as sensors, valves and meters in drinking water networks, their inter-connection with an innovative water network smart monitoring software for the timely detection of leakages and problems in the water quality as well as the development of a pioneering pressure control system for the reduction of water losses.
In accordance with the project coordinator, Professor Marios Polycarpou, the “smart monitoring of water networks includes the supervision of all factors that may affect their smooth operation such as leakages, thefts, faults, fluctuations in their qualitative characteristics as well as cyber-safety. The objective is the immediate detection of factors having a negative impact on the networks, their parameterization, both in time and quantitatively and the timely restoration of the problem through automated and controlled processes. The ultimate aim is saving resources with a parallel increase of the reliability and safety of the existing infrastructure”.
As the partners stressed “Water is a scarce resource both in Crete and Cyprus and valuable savings are expected following the implementation of innovative technologies intended to be implemented with the SmartWater2020 Project”.