ABSTRACT
The history of the digitization of water infrastructure technology parallels the history of the growth of human settlements. At one time, the drinking water and sanitation needs of civilization relied on gravity systems with only the occasional assistance of mechanical systems to overcome topographical irregularities. Over the course of the twentieth century, as population grew worldwide, the provision of water supply and wastewater management services evolved from being largely independent, self-reliant entities to relatively more interconnected and centrally controlled systems often spanning hundreds of miles. Information technologies (IT) have been increasingly introduced to bridge the spatial divide between the location of water supply and demand, and to meet changing values such as increased reliability, water quality, and security.
