Water management enters the era of forecasting

A solution developed by a national consortium combines artificial intelligence, sensors and satellite data to detect environmental risks in real time and support faster, more informed decision-making.

From reaction to prevention

Water is an essential resource. However, it is under increasing pressure from climate change, water scarcity and extreme weather events.

Against this backdrop, the Aquashield project aims to change the way managing bodies monitor and protect water bodies. The initiative focuses on developing an innovative technological solution capable of identifying critical situations, such as contamination, droughts or floods, at an early stage.

Unlike traditional approaches, which are often reactive, the system has been designed to support preventive, data-driven management.

According to Pedro Vieira e Moreira, the consortium’s vision is based on the conviction that “water is an essential resource, valuable to the community but limited, and that reactive management is not suited to the challenges of our times, let alone an increasingly uncertain and fast-paced future”.

Artificial Intelligence in the service of sustainability

Aquashield combines several advanced technologies into a single platform. The solution integrates data collected by IoT sensors, information from Copernicus/Sentinel satellites and external data sources. It then uses artificial intelligence algorithms and predictive models to continuously analyse the condition of water bodies. The aim is to transform scattered information into actionable knowledge.

As Pedro Vieira e Moreira explains, the project is developing a solution that “combines Artificial Intelligence, satellite remote sensing and IoT sensors to monitor and manage surface water bodies at a regional level, in real time and in a preventative manner”. Furthermore, it aims to “turn data into decisions and anticipate floods, droughts and pollution incidents before they become crises”.

A solution tested in a real-world environment

The project is being developed by a multidisciplinary consortium comprising A2O/Navia, Evoleo, the University of Minho and TecMinho. The complementarity of these areas of expertise is one of the initiative’s main strengths. “The consortium comprises a multidisciplinary team of excellence,” emphasises Pedro Vieira e Moreira, adding that it is precisely this combination of technological, scientific and operational knowledge that gives the project its robustness.

The solution will be tested in three different contexts across the Northern Region. The trials will take place in the Douro, in a port setting, in collaboration with APDL; on the River Leça, via the River Leça Corridor; and within the urban water cycle, in partnership with Águas e Energia do Porto. Rather than simply demonstrating the technology, the aim is to create a collaborative regional knowledge base.

Innovation with European potential

Although rooted in the local area, Aquashield was conceived with international ambition. The platform’s architecture was designed to be modular and scalable, allowing it to be adapted to different geographical contexts and water management realities. In this way, the technology developed and validated in Portugal could be replicated in other European regions. To realise this vision, support from COMPETE 2030 has proved crucial.

According to Pedro Vieira e Moreira, the co-funding enables the consortium to “assume the inherent risk of an R&D activity of this scale”, mobilising a highly qualified team and strengthening the link between businesses and academia. He concludes that this investment makes it possible to “go further in developing technology for the common good, with clear benefits for the region and for local communities”. By focusing on prevention, artificial intelligence and the smart management of water resources, Aquashield positions itself as an innovative response to one of today’s greatest environmental challenges.