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Water security can be defined as the availability of a sufficient quantity and quality of water to sustain livelihoods, health, socio-economic development and ecosystems. Water managers need timely access to reliable, insightful, defensible data, but with the volume and speed of data now available, will existing data infrastructure be able to cope?
Recent developments in sensors, dataloggers and telemetry, provide intelligent monitoring systems that can operate remotely, on very little power, delivering reliable data in real-time. This has prompted growth in high-intensity monitoring systems that generate enormous volumes of data.
Water management must be sustainable and resilient, so it is vital that both strategic and operational decisions are based on sound data. If data are not managed correctly, users may become ‘data-rich but information-poor’, so some of the most important decisions with a monitoring programme relate to the ways in which data is managed. OTT HydroMet has developed sensors that can operate remotely for extended periods; loggers that run on very low power but provide enormous data processing capability; telemetry solutions to transmit data from and to anywhere, and powerful software. The latest software (as a service) packages, such as Hydromet Cloud and AQUARIUS, can provide insights and alerts, while also providing easy access to live or historical data. In combination, the OTT HydroMet solutions, from sensor to screen, enable water managers to meet the needs of disparate stakeholders and enhance water security. So, when it comes to the management of water, Big Data represents a fantastic opportunity.
