The effects of climate change, characterized by prolonged periods of drought followed by intense rainfall, have made the conscious management and use of water resources an absolute priority for our country. In light of this evidence, in 2023, ISTAT documented an alarming loss of 42.4% of drinking water, highlighting the severe inefficiencies present in the national water network.
This waste of precious resources is not the only issue plaguing the Italian water system. Indeed, 28.8% of Italian households express distrust in consuming tap water, indicating a profound lack of confidence in the quality of the supplied drinking water.
The digital transformation in the water sector, if developed according to sustainability criteria, represents an essential challenge for achieving a proper balance between technological progress and environmental impact. This approach limits the ecological impact of technologies and embraces a broader vision of sustainability, including fundamental pillars such as energy efficiency, circular economy, and social responsibility.
The Support of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)
The Italian Government has responded to these challenges by implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), an unprecedented opportunity for the country’s water sector. With substantial investment, the PNRR aims to significantly enhance the Italian water network.
In particular, 1.9 billion euros have been allocated to the integrated water service, of which:
- 4.5 billion for interventions to be completed by 2026
- 500 million to improve the management of network losses and digitize networks in southern and island regions, particularly in the areas of the Apennine hydrographic districts, where network conditions are most critical.
Considering the contribution of private capital from proposing entities, the total investment could reach up to 7 billion euros.
Onyax: IoT and AI at the Service of Managers
Onyax is committed to leveraging experience and know-how to contribute to the improvement of water resource management in our country. Utilizing the great potential offered by IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies, Onyax has succeeded in creating innovative solutions that meet the needs of Managers in terms of digitization and remote control. These solutions achieve important goals, simplifying and reducing the time required to obtain chemical-physical information from the distribution network without relying on laboratory technician interventions.
NEMO: The Smart Chemical Micro-Lab
Thus, the smart solution NEMO was born, the first chemical micro-lab capable of providing real-time analysis of chemical-physical parameters such as turbidity, conductivity, temperature, flow, pH, ORP, chlorine, and other bacterial components. This project has yielded its first results in the city of Brescia with A2A, one of the largest water managers at the national level. NEMO aims for ease of use, energy savings, and efficiency of the water distribution network, in line with the requirements of the 5.0 transition supporting the PNRR plan.
Conclusions
Digital technologies, supported by the PNRR, are opening up new perspectives in the sector, allowing managers to tackle increasingly complex challenges. Thanks to continuous experimentation and its three patents dedicated to water, Onyax enables a significant transformation in water management, improving efficiency and safety. This approach guarantees a valuable and sustainable legacy for future generations and the planet’s ecosystems.
