Water is the most forgotten resource, even though it is increasingly becoming a problem even here in Germany. Hydrop Systems provides a tool for transparency in consumption with smart water monitoring.
Global water shortage is becoming an increasing problem
A normalised standard in Germany: you open the tap and the clear water flows. You might assume that this will always be the case – but that’s not the case.
The reality is that water shortages are a global problem, even just around the corner in countries such as Spain and Italy.
“It affects very large, very relevant areas, and unfortunately also Germany,” emphasises Katrin Kreidel from Hydrop Systems.
The drought monitor in Germany shows that some German regions are affected by drought, which in turn leads to dry soils that absorb less water. This also threatens groundwater levels. The motto should therefore actually be to use water more sparingly in general, but why doesn’t this usually happen?
Hydrop Systems wants to open up the black box of water through transparency in consumption
“Water is often a total black box issue. We don’t think about how it is treated, how it is sent through the pipes, how much water is lost on the way and how much water is used in our household for something that is not necessary,” says Kreidel, explaining the problem.
Transparency in water consumption could therefore help to increase awareness of water and make better use of the resource in the home. At least that’s what Hydrop Systems thinks, which is why they are developing an attachment for water meters, the so-called Hydrop Meter.
This can be installed independently by any private individual and then transfers data to the backend, where it is analysed using an AI. These analysed evaluations can then be accessed via an app or web application.
Earlier detection of pipe bursts through real-time data analysis
The data can be called up there in real time and shows an exact breakdown of consumption. This means you can see which application uses how much water and how much you really save by doing things like using a water-saving shower head or showering for 1 minute less.
“This leads to other possibilities, such as being able to compare water consumption, for example: What do others in the same living situation use?” says Kreidel.
In addition, the application enables anomalies to be recognised earlier if something cannot be assigned. As a result, inconveniences such as pipe ruptures or drip leaks can be detected more quickly and damage can be minimised.
The average person in Germany consumes 129 litres of water a day
Hydrop Systems is currently still in the prototype phase, and the calculated costs for the future product amount to 120 euros per year for the data supply plus the attachment, according to current calculations.
Kreidel hopes that the whole project will raise awareness of the issue. After all, the average German consumes 129 litres of water per day and 1.1 million buildings will suffer water damage in 2022.
These are both issues that could be minimised by a functional product from Hydrop Systems. One thing at least is certain: our attitude to water will have to change fundamentally in the future.
