We should contact here ASAP

ㆍ‘Vassar Labs’ is the first Indian startup to implement AI technology in water management.

ㆍThe company utilizes large-scale water maps to predict real-time drought and flood patterns.

ㆍConnecting the world to water data centers: Addressing humanity’s biggest water risk.

AI helps overcome water risk

As a farmer, you always need to be prepared for any weather conditions, whether it’s too much rain or too little. You may also be anxiously seeking predictions of droughts or floods. An Indian startup called Vassar labs has created a computing system that could help prevent water risks. In India, water risks are mainly concentrated in the agricultural sector, which accounts for one-sixth of India’s GDP and is highly dependent on rain. “During the severe water shortage in India, we observed people abstaining from bathing because they had no water in their homes,” said Amit Mishra, Vice President of Vassar labs. He realized that all of these problems could be resolved if we could understand how water should be managed.

Vassar Labs in India has developed a method for managing water across the country in real-time through the use of AI. The system gathers water data through big data and utilizes machine learning techniques to analyze information on how water flows, where there are water scarcity zones, and when droughts are likely to occur. This helps farmers to identify situations of water stress and respond to water risks. For instance, they can determine the appropriate time to apply fertilizer to their crops.

The smartest water map

Vassar Labs has come a long way from being a solution only for farmers to becoming a comprehensive water management platform. With almost everyone on the planet owning a smartphone, the AquaWISE platform offered by Vassar Labs displays a geographical map of water resources, including rivers, reservoirs, canals, dams, and aqueducts, just like Google Maps. AquaWISE continuously monitors the flow of water in real-time using state-of-the-art optical cameras and microwaves to observe rivers, reservoirs, etc. and obtains accurate global satellite data with high frequency and resolution. All the water-related information is managed in a cloud computing system. Additionally, They connect IoT sensors in bodies of water to a mobile app, providing real-time information. This has a powerful impact.

1. Integrated Water Resources Management: This technology allows officials to view all available water resources on one monitor at once, including rainfall, reservoirs, canals, small irrigation tanks, groundwater, and soil moisture. This makes it easier to plan and manage water resources effectively in a state or region.

2. Reservoir Optimization: With this technology, IoT sensors track time- and location-tagged information to regulate reservoir flows. If there is a risk of flooding or drought, a smart alert system can immediately take preventive action.

3. Canal or Irrigation Management: This technology helps estimate the amount of water that a farm needs for a two-week period. It shows the flow of water at different critical points in the canal network and tells you how much water is needed to moisturize the soil.

4. Drought Prevention: This system classifies drought conditions in a given area as mild, moderate, or severe, making it easier for governments to declare droughts and take appropriate measures. It also visually displays the amount of water available, thus aiding in water management.

5. Urban Flood Early Warning System: This system predicts areas at risk of flooding well in advance and operates a real-time early warning system, alerting people in low-lying areas and enabling them to take necessary precautions.

6. Smart Water Grid: This system manages water resources efficiently, creating a database that can be used to fill small irrigation tanks and transfer water from surplus areas to drought-prone areas, ensuring optimal use of water resources.

7. Groundwater Management: This system continuously monitors real-time information on groundwater levels and prevents water wastage by preventing groundwater from overflowing or leaking. It also helps recharge water to prevent groundwater depletion.

Other roles include solving drinking water stress, monitoring water spread areas, urban water supply, and optimizing river basins.

Trying to take a shower but no water?

It could happen to you, too. Water scarcity is becoming a critical issue, affecting many countries around the world. Uruguay, for instance, experienced a severe drought that lasted for almost eight months, leading to a significant increase in the price of bottled water. In Mexico, where water scarcity is also a major problem, several “rainwater cafes” have emerged, selling purified rainwater as bottled water. According to the United Nations, by 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9.7 billion, and over half of the population (52%) will live in areas with limited access to water. Additionally, the countdown to water depletion is fast approaching due to the climate crisis, making it crucial for the world to prepare for a potential water risks.

As all the oceans in the world are interconnected, it’s inevitable that we’ll need international cooperation for water security. Just like Vassar labs that currently manages all of India’s waters, a data center could be established to consolidate the world’s water. This data center would monitor the flow of water across the globe and issue real-time instructions to everyone who uses this data. All infrastructures could converge around this water data center because it’s not just agriculture that needs water, but also semiconductors, steel, manufacturing, and many other industries. Water data centers will play a significant role in providing water, recycling water, etc., in case water becomes scarce somewhere. (However, water data centers need massive amounts of cooling water to operate the world’s cloud computer systems. If such a situation arises, we might have to build water data centers in the ocean, just like Microsoft put its data centers in the ocean. Hahaha.)

Finally, we can imagine. if I want to take a shower after work today, I need to look at my water data usage in the Vassar labs app. I see that I’ve run out of water for my home today. I then contact the water data center to arrange for immediate delivery of water. A robot or drone will then deliver just the right amount of water for me to use (just like I can have my laundry or fresh produce delivered to my door in a few hours). Or, if I’m running low on water, I can shop for water at a ‘water cycle store’ that recycles rainwater or industrial water. In this way, we will live in a world where we face water risks from time to time and respond to them with technology.