AI and digital tools are being used to predict droughts and floods, and to manage water more efficiently.
To unlock their full value, AI must work alongside open, flexible automation systems that connect entire networks.
Smarter water use will reduce waste, support agriculture, and ease pressure on communities as summers grow hotter and drier. With hotter, drier summers ahead, smarter water management is becoming increasingly important.
Sydney, Australia – 20 October 2025 – As Australia heads into the summer months, the prospect of drought and water shortages is once again front of mind for communities, farmers, and governments. Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) and smart water technologies can help manage supply more effectively and reduce waste.
"Water scarcity has always been a challenge in Australia, but climate change means droughts and extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent," said Carlos Urbano, Vice President, Industry for Pacific Zone at Schneider Electric. "Digital tools like AI are playing an increasingly important role in helping utilities and businesses manage this precious resource more efficiently."
The role of AI in smarter water management
Through its EcoStruxure solutions for Water and Wastewater, Schneider Electric is supporting utilities, councils, and agricultural businesses with technologies that:
Predict droughts and floods, giving decision-makers valuable time to prepare.
Optimise distribution networks, ensuring water is allocated fairly and efficiently.
Reduce agricultural waste, by enabling smarter irrigation and crop monitoring.
By combining automation and AI, operators can gain end-to-end visibility across treatment plants, pipelines, and farms, helping ensure water reaches where it's needed most while minimising losses. However, the full potential of AI is only realised when paired with open, software-defined automation systems. Platforms such as Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Automation Expert enable seamless integration across diverse assets, helping utilities unlock deeper insights and more adaptive water management strategies at the edge.
One example of smart water management in action is WaterForce, an irrigation company that partnered with Schneider Electric to deploy EcoStruxure™ solutions across its operations. By integrating cloud-based monitoring, automation, and real-time data analytics, WaterForce was able to optimise irrigation schedules, reduce water waste, and improve crop yields, all while lowering energy costs. As Australia faces the challenges of increasingly dry and unpredictable summers, such technologies offer a pathway toward more efficient, adaptive, and resilient water systems.
Why it matters
Research has indicated that under a warming climate Australia will spend more time in drought, with longer and more intense drought conditions, particularly across southern and eastern Australia.
In September, the Department of Agriculture and the National Farmers Federation brought together stakeholders at the National Drought Forum to share ideas and shape the future of Australia's drought policy. Over the past year, the states of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and parts of New South Wales have experienced record breaking droughts, which has had a major impact on the farming industry, with many farmers facing financial stress, fodder shortages, and mental health pressures.
The implications of unmanaged water scarcity are wide-reaching:
Reduced crop yields and livestock losses, which drive up food prices and impact export earnings.
More frequent and severe restrictions in regional communities and even major cities.
Higher water trading prices, raising affordability concerns for households and businesses.
Over-reliance on groundwater, leading to salinity issues and long-term depletion.
"By embedding digital intelligence into water networks, we can support communities, farmers, and industries to use water more wisely and build resilience against future droughts. However, to truly unlock the full value of AI, those networks also need open, software-defined automation, ensuring insights can flow seamlessly across every part of the system." added Urbano.
A future-focused approach
Urbano added: "Schneider Electric's local and global experience in water management is helping Australian organisations prepare for the challenges of a hotter, drier future. With smart solutions and AI-driven insights, there is an opportunity to safeguard supplies, strengthen food security, and reduce stress on rural communities."
