The overall goal of this project is to create, test, and demonstrate a technology that uses real-time meter data to identify water resilience solutions to specific hazards. To achieve these outcomes, the performance objectives of the project are to:

1. Deploy real-time sensors, including low-cost noninvasive metering systems, telemetry, secure data systems, and encryption protocols.
2. Create and demonstrate analytics for situational awareness and real-time control, short- and long-range water planning, and water-informed development.
3. Conduct technoeconomic assessments to quantify return-on-investment for data acquisition networks, and determine when smart water systems provide the greatest benefits.
4. Demonstrate scenario planning capabilities to support infrastructure planning and decision-making over multiple time horizons.

The objectives of the project will be fully demonstrated at Fort Benning. Additional engagement with the Navy and Air Force installations will ensure the technology appropriately incorporates important data systems and mission critical operations to enable broader application of the technology across the Department of War (DoW).

The smart water monitoring technology encompasses three innovative components:

1. Smart water sensing devices and data systems.
2. Data analytics and simulation models.
3. Scenario planning tools to support water resilience investment decision-making on military installations.

The components of the technology will be fully integrated, deployed, and tested using the Virtual Toolbox for Installation Mission Effectiveness (VTIME) and PLANNER. Specifically, co-creation with key stakeholders will enable development of robust and use-inspired water resilience sensing, analysis, and planning calculators for water planning and management purposes.

The project will focus on demonstration of the performance, return-on-investment, and lifecycle costs of integrating real-time smart water data into secure DoW networks, minimizing data transmission latency, and ensuring the usability of decision-support tools by installation staff. Specifically, the project will evaluate the system’s ability to generate actionable insights, inform investment planning, and improve operational readiness. The project team will collaborate with installation partners to develop installation-specific objectives, criteria, and targets to evaluate success of the demonstration.

The project will demonstrate the value of integrating mature smart water monitoring technologies—such as low-cost sensors, open-source water resilience tools, and sensor optimization methods—within DoW installations. Existing VTIME/PLANNER prototypes transform installation planning and decision-making to better defend installations and increase resilience, while reducing costs and improving operations. However, they currently lack integration with smart water sensing systems and have limited functionality for characterizing water resilience. This project introduces and demonstrates innovative smart water monitoring components within VTIME/PLANNER to identify installation-specific vulnerabilities and prioritize water system improvements. This advancement enables installations to recover more effectively from all-hazard events by addressing existing deficiencies, supporting future expansion, and enhancing water security. The project will fully demonstrate the return-on-investment for smart water monitoring and subsequently assess effectiveness of the technology in reducing lifecycle costs of developing, maintaining, and operating water systems in military installations. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2028)