Rotterdam aims to be world's first water-smart city

The city of Rotterdam is working with IBM to become the world’s first “Smart Delta City” by collecting and analysing real-time data on the rivers, ocean, weather and mroe.

A key player in the Dutch economy and the largest port in Europe, Rotterdam aims to design and test a monitoring and forecasting system that will enable smarter water and energy management. The system will help the city use real-world, real-time information to manage its infrastructure and operations as climate change affects its dynamic and complex natural water system.

The Smart Delta system’s information portal will enable officials and professionals to more quickly and effectively respond to concerns such as flood and drought threats, safety or accessibility issues, and changes in water conditions that could harm fish and other aquatic life.

“We are committed to reducing carbon dioxide by 50 per cent and reaching a climate adaptive situation while also strengthening our region’s economic condition by 2025,” said Paula Verhoeven, director of the Rotterdam Climate Office. “To reach these goals, we have defined a holistic approach to climate change and water management, considering economic and spatial planning factors in the decision-making process.  This collaboration is important to help Rotterdam evolve to a Smart Delta City.”

Over the past two years, IBM has engaged in projects worldwide to identify current and future impact on operations from changing water availability, accessibility, quality and quantities. In February 2008, the company opened the Global Center of Excellence for Water Management in the Netherlands.

“Governments and companies that don’t understand how climate changes will impact their operations will increasingly find themselves at a disadvantage,” said Sharon Nunes, vice president of Big Green Innovations at IBM. “Over the next few years, the business impact of either too much or too little water will be devastating in many parts of the world. The Smart Delta City initiative addresses the need to start thinking and acting in new ways to make our systems more efficient, productive and responsive.”