Dr Lili Yang has teamed up with the University of Thessaly (Greece); The Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas (Poland) together with water management companies in Poland and Greece in order to develop an intelligent Integrated Support System for Efficient Water Usage and resources management (ISS‑EWATUS). The project goal is to develop several innovative ICT methods aiming to exploit the untapped water‑saving potential in EU. This 2.4 million Euro project is funded by the EU over three years, ending May 2017. It aims to produce an information and decision support system for households, low‑cost, run on mobile devices, making people aware of their water usage profile; a social media platform for the promotion of water‑saving behaviour; a decision support system for the reduction of leaks within municipal water delivery systems; and a decision support system for the evaluation of different water pricing schemes. This software will provide policy makers with an effective tool to assess different scenarios under alternative pricing schemes.
From this project a new app called tApp has been developed which can save users money on their water bills. tApp monitors water use in real time using trackers that are connected to pipes. Data is sent to smart devices from everyday appliances including dishwashers, showers and toilets. It changes consumer’s awareness and behaviour by providing tips based on data gathered. tApp’s overall aim is to improve water consumption habits in households and businesses, be better for the environment and significantly reduce water costs. Read the full press release and watch a short video here.