On Thursday 23 February, the seminar “Smart Metering - 4.0 measurement and control technologies in water resource management” was held in Monza, with a large and engaged audience comprising businesses, research centres, trade associations, academics, development agencies, and representatives of public institutions. The event was organised by the LE2C Technological Cluster, with the patronage of Regione Lombardia and the Municipality of Monza.

Currently, in Lombardy, there are several pilot projects at various stages of implementation, promoted by water service providers and technology companies. These were discussed by Gruppo Cap Holding, Uniacque, and AEEGSI – the Italian Regulatory Authority for Electricity, Gas, and Water, and involve the installation of smart meters and sensors capable of remotely detecting and monitoring water supply in specific, predefined areas.

At the same time, stringent water quality objectives, combined with the opportunities offered by the exponential growth in ICT research and applications, are leading to a shift in the horizons for water resource management and purification, which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Contributions from the research sector were provided by the Politecnico di Milano, IRSA-CNR, and the University of Brescia. A further perspective was offered by the President of the Lombardy Smart Cities and Communities Cluster.

From the industrial sector, contributions were made by companies operating as field suppliers: More+, Endress-Hauser, and SIDeA. The sessions were coordinated by the University of Milano-Bicocca.

This initiative is the second in a series of meetings organised by the Lombardy Energy Cleantech Cluster (LE2C) aimed at exploring further aspects related to water services and the management of water body quality, while facilitating dialogue and practical collaboration between businesses, research institutions, and the local area.