The warning signs are also increasing in the EU: According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), around a third of EU land is regularly affected by so-called “water stress” – particularly in southern and central Europe.

By Jan Nintemann and Jochen Siegle
Photo: Arseny Togulev, Unsplash

“Water stress” refers to a situation in which the availability of water is not sufficient to meet the water requirements of a region or population on a permanent basis. This applies to drinking water as well as water for agriculture, industry and ecosystems.

The causes are climate change, overexploitation, inefficient agriculture and urbanization.

Southern European countries such as Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece in particular are threatened by seasonal water shortages and crop failures. In other regions, outdated water networks, leaks and a lack of data infrastructure are exacerbating the situation.

The climate crisis is also bringing more frequent droughts, heavy rainfall and regional disparities – all of which pose huge challenges for water authorities, farmers and cities across Europe.

How IT and AI could bring about a turnaround in Europe

To master the transformation, Europe needs digital tools at all levels:

• AI-supported forecasting models help to better manage dry periods and plan water requirements in advance
• IoT sensors in water networks detect losses and control distribution efficiently
• Geodata and satellite images enable precise monitoring of groundwater and agricultural use
• Smart farming and precise irrigation systems drastically reduce water consumption in agriculture
• Digital twins of infrastructures help cities to improve their resilience to heavy rainfall and dry spells

TransformIT Europe: Tech trade fair platform for sustainable IT solutions, resource and water protection

This is precisely where the new TransformIT Europe trade fair comes in: It brings together players from IT, environmental technology, municipalities and industry and, of course, water management – to develop smart solutions for climate adaptation and intelligent water management in Europe.

With a focus on Greentech and ClimateTech, it is clear that digital technologies are also an important key to making Europe’s water infrastructure fit for the future. The digital transformation is not a nice-to-have – it is essential for our water and climate security.

Water will be a key topic at TransformIT Europe 2026.