How Virtual Platforms Can Help Secure Real World Water

No matter where you are in the world, access to clean water is critical. Despite its importance to human survival, about a third of the world's population still faces drinking water shortages and a quarter or more of treated drinking water never makes it to a tap as a result of aging or leaks in the distribution infrastructure. 

Excessive consumption, waste and lack of planning in the distribution of fresh water are some of the greatest threats facing the planet today, and there is no doubt that these issues will be even more relevant and challenging in the future. With Earth's population projected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, the world will need transform the way water and sanitation services are provided to ensure safe drinking water and safe sanitation for all. 

In this scenario, in addition to the irrational consumption of resources, the planet has to consider other factors. As climate change contributes to increasing natural scarcity, water use and its economic impact are being scrutinized more closely. It is not by chance that this is one of the themes present in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim at the availability and sustainable management of water. In this scenario, countries and companies are increasingly asking themselves how they can better manage water resources. 

But how can the world protect its most vital natural resource? Individuals, organizations and governments are meeting the challenge using virtual technology. Virtual tools such as 3DEXPERIENCE platform, allow us to collaboratively model new products and processes in a virtual 3D universe, without the need for physical prototypes, which consume large amounts of natural resources. 

Through Virtual Twins (Digital Twins) created on these platforms, it is possible to innovate and find ways of how water can be used more efficiently. Thanks to the adoption of solutions based on data intelligence, 3D modeling and virtual visualization, it is possible to track the water footprint of products and services, from project idealization to manufacturing and end of life. Ultimately, this benefit is passed on to consumers, as companies can offer goods and services that were designed, manufactured and transported with less water. 

These software solutions, therefore, provide the ability to understand each stage of the innovation process, evaluating its impact on water consumption at each stage of its journey, analyzing in detail each process and material used. 

Another benefit is avoiding waste. It is estimated, for example, that for every 100 liters of drinking water distributed in Brazil, around 40 liters are lost in leaks, theft and poor management by users and companies. Digital platforms can be useful to minimize network problems, creating predictive and more reliable models of products and installations for organizations and Governments, against losses.  

On the other hand, the commitment to understanding and reducing the impact of consumption on water needs to be real and go beyond the use of technology. It is also essential to raise awareness about the importance of water preservation through initiatives that encourage optimization, innovation and education on the subject.  

One of these measures is the adoption of more open innovation processes around the world, with the use of virtual platforms to reinforce collaboration between startups, mentors, researchers and fablabs. This collective intelligence can help innovators develop products and ideas that will enable us to reduce consumption and better conserve water on our planet.  

Education is critical to meeting the long-term challenge of protecting water resources. To help future generations understand the challenges related to water use, new types of subjects and school programs that facilitate learning and deepen knowledge of young people in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, life and earth sciences, nurturing the knowledge and needs needed to train a new generation of scientists.

These angles – measuring and optimizing, innovating and creating, and educating – which are the focus of important initiatives such as "Water for Life", can help meet the challenge of preserving the world's water resources. It's a global concern that requires extensive collaboration between people, companies, scientists and engineers and the modeling of all kinds of real-world experiences to find new solutions to this daunting challenge. 

*Alejandro Chocolat, Managing Director of Dassault Systèmes for Latin America 

Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies