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Water management requires increasingly accurate tools to address water scarcity, resource excess, pollution and infrastructure under pressure. It is from this need that the call "Digitalisation of the water sector" was born, promoted by ESA Business Applications as part of the opportunities dedicated to the development of space-enabled services.
The initiative, open from 12 May 2026 to 30 August 2026, covers Proof-of-concept and Pilot Project activities. The objective is to transform data, technologies and monitoring capabilities into useful services for operators, utilities, water authorities, cities and territories.
Losses, wastewater and infrastructure: the needs the call addresses
The call identifies several operational priorities for the sector: preventing and detecting water losses along the supply chain, improving wastewater treatment, locating leaks and intervening on distribution infrastructure and sanitation services.
These are different areas, but linked by a common need: making digitalisation more integrated and easier to apply in real-world processes. ESA notes that the water sector already uses digital tools, but often in a fragmented way, with solutions limited to individual territories or specific operational functions.
Two working directions: sustainability and resilience
To define the scope of the call, ESA distinguishes two areas of intervention: Water Sustainability and Water Resilience.
The first concerns monitoring of water quality, resource availability, sanitation services and control of industrial discharges. The second focuses on infrastructure monitoring, reduction of non-revenue water, failures in sewage systems and resilience against drought and flooding.
In both cases, data is not merely an observation tool: it serves to make decisions more timely, interventions more targeted and water cycle management more measurable.
The value of satellite data in water monitoring
The defining element of the call is the essential use of satellite technologies and data. Proposals must integrate at least one of Earth observation, satellite communications and satellite navigation, alongside tools such as artificial intelligence, edge computing, IoT and drones.
Earth observation can support near-real-time monitoring of indicators such as turbidity, algal blooms and chlorophyll-a. It can also contribute to future scenario modelling, analysis of the effects of drought and flooding, and monitoring of ground movements, which is also useful for assessing the risk of pipe failure.
From collected data to operational decisions
The decisive step is not only collecting information, but making it usable in day-to-day management. Satellite navigation systems can improve the geolocalisation of local sensors, feed more accurate GIS models and support maintenance planning.
Satellite communications can in turn ensure continuity in data transmission, asset tracking and response capacity even in remote areas or emergency situations. For this reason they are also relevant in early warning systems related to drought and flooding.
What ESA funds and what support is available
The call supports Proof-of-concept and Pilot Project activities aimed at teams able to demonstrate technical and commercial expertise, clear user needs, market potential and a proposal in which space data or technologies deliver recognisable value.
The support indicated by ESA is not limited to financial contribution. The offer includes zero-equity funding, technical and commercial guidance, access to the ESA network and partners, and brand credibility. The contribution ranges from 50% to 80%, depending on SME status and member state approval. The call also signals a matchmaking opportunity with GWOPA operators, with potential connections assessed on a case-by-case basis.
From the ESA call to Accadueo topics
The ESA call echoes several topics also covered in Accadueo content: network digitalisation, loss reduction, smart metering, IoT, real-time monitoring, predictive models, wastewater reuse, wastewater treatment and infrastructure resilience.
These are areas of direct relevance to operators, utilities, businesses, institutions and technology providers, all called upon to identify solutions capable of making the water cycle more efficient, monitorable and sustainable.
Accadueo 2026, scheduled for 26 and 27 November at the Nuova Fiera del Levante in Bari, will therefore be an opportunity to explore how data, digital technologies and innovative solutions can help make the water cycle more efficient, monitorable and resilient.
Official sources
https://business.esa.int/funding/call-for-proposals-non-competitive/digitalisation-water-sector
