Review of the emerging technologies in the water sector with a focus on the deployment of Internet of Things solutions

The study focused on identification of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that can be used in the management of non-revenue water (NRW) in water distribution networks (WDN). The review show that water utilities incur significant revenue losses due to NRW emanating from leaks, illegal connections, and non-payment of water bills. The uptake, adoption, and deployment of IoT solutions can contribute to the realization of new products and services, sustainable development solutions, transformation, and enhanced decision-making, in the water sector. Overally, IoT solutions can help water utilities improve operations and management of WDN and minimize NRW, which aligns with the anticipated impact of the study on contributing to and enhancing the realization of resilient smart cities. Finally, the novelty of the study is to demonstrate the potential of translating theoretical innovations and technologies into industrial/ practical applications and commercialization.