SMARTER MONITORING NEWS
tlas Copco has launched SMART AIRnet, a connected pipework system that extends IIoT-based monitoring beyond the compressor room and into the compressed air distribution network itself, giving manufacturers greater visibility of how air is delivered, used and lost across their sites.
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While digital monitoring has become increasingly common at the point of air generation, much of the air distribution network has historically remained a blind spot. SMART AIRnet addresses this by integrating sensors directly into the pipework, capturing live data on pressure, flow, energy use, air quality and overall system behaviour at multiple points from generation through to point of use. This allows manufacturers to see how compressed air is behaving as it moves through the network, rather than inferring performance from compressor output data alone.
Compressed air leakage remains a persistent challenge across industry. By comparing conditions between different sections of pipework, SMART AIRnet highlights pressure drops, flow anomalies and changes in energy consumption that may indicate leakage, inappropriate usage or developing faults. These indicators can then be used to prompt targeted investigation and maintenance. SMART AIRnet works in conjunction with Atlas Copco’s SmartLink remote monitoring platform, which acts as the secure conduit for transferring system data to the cloud. From there, performance across the compressed air system can be visualised in a single, consolidated view, allowing trends to be analysed and alerts to be generated when thresholds are breached.
Compressed air quality can also be monitored directly within the distribution pipework through the addition of air quality meters. This enables continuous tracking of moisture levels to help protect equipment, support consistent air quality and provide data that can inform air quality audits aligned with ISO 8573-1 and ISO 8573-3 requirements.
https://tinyurl.com/SMART- AIRnet
he five solutions shaping the path toward global water digitalisation are: generative AI, agent-based architectures, cybersecurity, early warning systems, and public-private partnerships to boost operational efficiency. This is according to the latest Xylem Vue report, which identifies the key strategies shaping water management in 2026
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Last January, the UN declared a state of “water bankruptcy” in its Global Water Bankruptcy report, pointing to the irreversible depletion of aquifer reserves due to increasing human demand. The UN’s global review paints a bleak picture: 75% of the world’s population lives in countries classified as water-insecure or critically water-insecure; more than half of the planet’s major lakes are drying up; two billion people live on land that is subsiding due to groundwater over-pumping. Over the past 50 years, wetlands equivalent to the entire surface area of the European Union have been lost. The 2026 UN Water Conference, to be held later this year, advises: protect every drop. Addressing this challenge requires the use of digital technology to improve efficiency, reduce losses, and close funding gaps in utilities facing increasing operational and financial pressure. According to Jaime Barba, Head of Xylem Vue: “Digital solutions are no longer optional. They are now essential operational requirements.” In addition, he also highlighted: “The future of water will be digital, or there will be no future."
The road to digitalisation: five trends The report Water Technology Trends 2026: a strategic guide to the future of smart water, released by Xylem Vue analyses this transformation framework, identifying five key trends that are paving the way toward the digitalisation of this precious resource across the globe.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to be a catalyst for this change, transforming fragmented information into decisions based on structured data.
On the one hand, this is achieved through generative AI, which is now considered an operational capability in its own right, as it goes beyond synthesising knowledge and recommending actions to help break down information silos and unlock the value of unstructured data. This will enable utilities to become more resilient, efficient, and better equipped to measure, anticipate, and act in real time.
On the other hand, agent-based architectures are now emerging. These new approaches will enable natural language queries to be converted into analytical flows that can be audited and automated, with a special focus on security and control in critical infrastructures. Security, and more specifically cybersecurity, remains a cornerstone of this profound transformation, according to Xylem Vue. Growing interconnectivity and the proliferation of cyberattacks make it a strategic necessity, not only to comply with existing regulations but also to ensure service continuity and protect public health. Extreme events will continue to be commonplace. In this scenario, early warning systems still play a leading role, enabling highly accurate predictions of how river basins are likely to respond to severe meteorological events.
Their evolution toward platforms that integrate high-resolution hydraulic models, advanced weather forecasting, and stochastic and statistical analysis, combining multiple real-time information sources, underscores the importance of ensuring greater public safety when these events occur. Finally, partnerships between public authorities and private enterprises continue to be a driving force behind the transformation required across the sector. Numerous initiatives, such as the PERTE program in Spain, the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) in the United States, and the West Bengal Drinking Water Sector Improvement Project in India, show how cooperation, including collaboration between companies, can multiply operational efficiency and reduce risk, especially when data governance and interoperability are built in from the start.
xylem.com/en-uk/
6 MARCH 2026 | PROCESS & CONTROL
DIGITALISATION IS KEY TO SAFEGUARDING WATER SUPPLY
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