Europe’s heat waves and record-breaking droughts are depleting freshwater resources while simultaneously driving up demand for water. This hazardous combination is putting a strain on the Old Continent’s water supply infrastructure, which is already aging and increasingly vulnerable to leaks, overflows, and other climate-related disruptions.

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This is particularly problematic for European cities, which were built in an era where climate change was largely a non-issue and now must contend with its growing impacts alongside aging infrastructure. 

The good thing is, that, for many cities facing these pressures, better does not always mean starting from scratch. Some communities are realizing their capacity to leverage technology to optimize the systems they already have. 

Washington, D.C.-based Xylem is helping communities do exactly that. The water technology provider operates in more than 150 countries, delivering water solutions to a variety of markets, from residential buildings and commercial facilities to the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Its portfolio of offerings spans the entire water cycle, from water transport, treatment, and monitoring. 

Its technologies include heavy-duty Flygt and Goulds Water Technology pumps for moving sewage and stormwater, as well as Wedeco disinfection systems and Sanitaire biological treatment technologies for purifying wastewater. 

Through its Sensus brand, Xylem also ensures that water is being managed efficiently. To help utilities monitor their water usage, identify leaks, and detect water losses, Xylem leverages a wide array of “smart water” technologies connected to intelligent meters and real-time monitoring systems.

These capabilities translate into real-time savings for customers. 

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Leveraging Xylem’s “smart sewer” technology, the community of South Bend, Indiana, was able to save around $400 million in planned infrastructure spending. This is because Xylem was able to retrofit its technology into the city’s existing sewer system, as opposed to building an entirely new system from scratch––the presumed solution at the time. Not only did the city avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure costs, but roughly one billion gallons of polluted water are now prevented from contaminating the St. Joseph River every year. 

This is just one of many success stories enabled by the company. 

As deadly heat waves and prolonged dry spells intensify water scarcity, water technology companies like Xylem will become indispensable for helping utilities and communities do more with less.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.