Is the Water Sector Ready to Lead in a Data-Driven Future?

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, data is emerging as a critical driver of innovation across various sectors. Industries that harness the power of data are the ones pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The global data landscape is rapidly expanding, with the total amount of data generated worldwide expected to reach approximately 175 zettabytes by 2025. In the past year alone (June 2023 – June 2024), around 120 zettabytes were generated, accounting for roughly 68.57% of the projected total by 2025. The UK’s contribution to this data boom is estimated to be between 2.4 and 3.6 zettabytes, representing 2-3% of the global data output. To put this in perspective, one zettabyte is equivalent to a trillion gigabytes, highlighting the massive scale of data being produced.

Data generation varies significantly across different sectors globally and within the UK. Globally, the healthcare sector leads with 30% of total data generated, followed by telecommunications at 20%, and energy at 15%. Finance, transportation, water, government, and manufacturing sectors contribute smaller shares, ranging from 10% to 5%. In the UK, the distribution is somewhat similar, with healthcare and telecommunications both leading at 27.5%, followed by finance at 22.5%, and energy at 12.5%. Other sectors like transportation, water, government, and manufacturing contribute between 4% and 7.5% of the total data generated in the country.

As industries continue to evolve in the digital age, the ability to leverage data effectively will remain a key differentiator in driving innovation. Those sectors that prioritize data-driven strategies are likely to lead the way in shaping the future, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and setting new standards for excellence.

The water sector, though vital, currently lags behind other industries like healthcare, telecommunications, and finance in terms of innovation. A key reason for this is the relatively low amount of data produced and utilized across its operations. To drive innovation, the water sector must significantly increase its data generation and analytical capabilities.

By expanding data collection and analysis, the water industry can improve resource management, enhance water quality, and optimize distribution systems. Moreover, understanding the landscape of intellectual property (IP) within the sector is crucial. This knowledge will help water companies identify existing innovations, avoid infringement issues, and potentially collaborate with other sectors to leverage existing technologies.