Sustainable Water Management in Smart Cities: A Systematic Review of Digital and Green Technologies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59436/jsiane.v6i2.4.2583-2093Keywords:
Digital twins, Green infrastructure, Internet of Things, Smart cities, Sustainable water managementAbstract
Water-related issues in cities have gotten worse due to rapid urbanization, climate variability, and ageing infrastructure, calling for creative and sustainable management techniques. The purpose of this study is to discuss the integration of digital technologies and green infrastructure in smart cities for better management of sustainable water resources in cities. The aim of this review is to critically deliberate and evaluate the potential of emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, GIS, and digital twins in synergistic integration with green infrastructure such as green roofs, bioswales, permeable pavements, and constructed wetlands. Using popular scientific databases like Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, a systematic literature review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA framework. Keywords pertaining to smart water management, IoT-based monitoring, digital water technologies, and green infrastructure were used to find pertinent articles published between 2008 and 2025. These articles were then screened for relevance, language, and citation impact. The results show that emerging technologies are effective in improving real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, leakage detection, demand forecasting, and decision-support systems, whereas green infrastructure is effective in stormwater management, groundwater recharge, urban cooling, and climate resilience. The integration of hybrid systems is more efficient in improving system efficiency, reducing non-revenue water, improving flood mitigation, and enhancing water circularity in cities. Overall, this integration of digital innovation and ecological design offers a transformative potential for resilient, adaptive, and sustainable urban water systems in smart cities.
References
Ahmed, A. A., Sayed, S., Abdoulhalik, A., Moutari, S., & Oyedele, L. (2024). Applications of machine learning to water resources management: A review of present status and future opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 441, 140715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.140715
Aivazidou, E., Banias, G., Lampridi, M., Vasileiadis, G., Anagnostis, A., Papageorgiou, E., & Bochtis, D. (2021). Smart Technologies for Sustainable Water Management: An Urban Analysis. Sustainability, 13(24), 13940. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413940
Alhendi, A., Al-Sumaiti, A., Elmay, F., Wescaot, J., Kavousi-Fard, A., Heydarian-Forushani, E., & Haes Alhelou, H. (2022). Artificial intelligence for water–energy nexus demand forecasting: A review. International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, 17, ctac043. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijlct/ctac043
Alireza Zakariazadeh, Razzaqul Ahshan, Rashid Al Abri, & Mohammed Al-Abri. (2024). Renewable energy integration in sustainable water systems: A review. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 18, 100722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2024.100722
Alli, G., Edwards, M. Z., Madinga, N. W., & Dlamini, S. (2025). Navigating load shedding: Investigating the adoption drivers and barriers of green energy in South African households. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 19, 100356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2025.100356
Alshattnawi, S. (2017). Smart water distribution management system architecture based on Internet of Things and cloud computing (pp. 289–294). https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTCS.2017.31
Alzahrani, A., Alogla, A., Aljlil, S., & Alshehri, K. (2025). The Role of Smart Infrastructure in Residential Water Demand Management: A Global Survey. Water, 17(21), 3119. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17213119
Alzahrani, A. I. A., Chauhdary, S. H., & Alshdadi, A. A. (2023). Internet of Things (IoT)-Based Wastewater Management in Smart Cities. Electronics, 12(12), 2590. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12122590
Amanatidis, P., Lyratzis, E., Angelopoulos, V., Kouloumpris, E., Skaperdas, E., Bassiliades, N., Vlahavas, I., Maris, F., Emmanouloudis, D., & Karampatzakis, D. (2026). Intelligent Water Management Through Edge-Enabled IoT, AI, and Big Data Technologies. IoT, 7(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/iot7010005
Ammar Deh, Anas Abu Taleb, Tareq Alhajahjeh, Francisco Aparicio, Sara Hamed, Nizar Daradkeh, & Ahmed Al-Jarallah. (2024). Data privacy and compliance in IoT. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3451-5.ch006
Angelidou, M., Psaltoglou, A., Komninos, N., Kakderi, C., Tsarchopoulos, P., & Panori, A. (2017). Enhancing sustainable urban development through smart city applications. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-05-2017-0016
Arumugam, T., Kinattinkara, S., Vellingiri, K., & Anjana, C. (2025). A GIS-based assessment of groundwater quality and public health risks of heavy metals in Kannur, Kerala. Cleaner Water,4, 100113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clwat.2025.100113
Aziz, F., Wang, X., Mahmood, M. Q., Awais, M., & Trenouth, B. (2024). Coastal urban flood risk management: Challenges and opportunities − A systematic review. Journal of Hydrology, 645(PartB),132271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132271
Azmi, N. A., Ahmed, S., & Syed, Z. (2024). Sustainable Water Management Understanding from a Theoretical perspective. Environmental Reports, 6(2), 19–22. https://doi.org/10.51470/er.2024.6.2.19
Bagheri, M., Biglarijoo, N., Shams, A., Sharifan, H., Bagheri, K., Farshforoush, N., Velazquez, A., & Moaveni, M. (2026). Artificial intelligence for the water sector/industry. In S. Jafarinejad & A. Shahirinia (Eds.), Artificial intelligence for the water-energy-food nexus (pp. 45–79). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-34019-2.00005-5
Baig, F., Kassem, A., Akhter, M. Z., Kabeer, S., Faiz, M. A., Baig, M. F., & Sherif, M. (2025). Synergies and struggles: Water security and climate action in South Asia’s quest for SDG 6 and SDG 13. Gondwana Research, 148, 393–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2025.07.022
Bawankar, N., Kriti, A., Chouhan, S., & Chaudhari, S. (2024). IoT-enabled water monitoring in smart cities with retrofit and solar-based energy harvesting. IEEE Access, 12, 58222–58238. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3392852
Bibri, S. E., & Huang, J. (2025). AI and AI-powered digital twins for smart, green, and zero-energy buildings: A systematic review of leading-edge solutions for advancing environmental sustainability goals. Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 28, 100628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2025.100628
Bosco, C., Seglem, K. N., Sivertsen, E., Jovanović, O., & Helness, H. (2025). Developing a framework to assess water smartness and sustainability of circular economy solutions in the water sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 517, 145874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145874
Chandratreya, A. (2024). Sustainable Water Management Through Green Infrastructure. Indian Scientific Journal of Research in Engineering and Management. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem37795
Chen, S., & Chen, S. (2024). Planning and Development of Smart Cities Based on the Concept of Sustainable Development. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences, 96(1), 73–80. https://doi.org/10.54254/2754-1169/96/2024mur0115
Chen, T., Wang, M., Su, J., Ikram, R. M. A., & Li, J. (2023). Application of Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies in Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI): A Bibliometric Review. Sustainability, 15(18), 13317. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813317
Costa, D. G., Bittencourt, J. C. N., Oliveira, F., Peixoto, J. P. J., & Jesus, T. C. (2024). Achieving Sustainable Smart Cities through Geospatial Data-Driven Approaches. Sustainability, 16(2), 640. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020640
Cui, M., Ferreira, F., Fung, T. K., & Matos, J. S. (2021). Tale of Two Cities: How Nature-Based Solutions Help Create Adaptive and Resilient Urban Water Management Practices in Singapore and Lisbon. Sustainability, 13(18), 10427. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU131810427
Dai, Y., Huang, Z., Khan, N., & Labbo, M. S. (2025). Smart Water Management: Governance Innovation, Technological Integration, and Policy Pathways Toward Economic and Ecological Sustainability. Water, 17(13), 1932. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17131932
Damman, S., Schmuck, A., Oliveira, R., Koop, S. H. A., Almeida, M. do C., Alegre, H., & Ugarelli, R. M. (2023). Towards a water-smart society: Progress in linking theory and practice. Utilities Policy, 85, 101674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2023.101674
Dhulavvagol, P., Ankita, K., Sohan, G., & Ganiger, R. (2018). An enhanced water pipeline monitoring system in remote areas using flow rate and vibration sensors. In Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing (pp. 331–345). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9059-2_30
Essamlali, I., Nhaila, H., & El Khaili, M. (2024). Advances in machine learning and IoT for water quality monitoring: A comprehensive review. Heliyon, 10(6), e27920. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27920
Expósito, A., & Díez Cebollero, E. (2025). How the digital revolution is reshaping water management and policy: A focus on Spain. Utilities Policy, 96, 102020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2025.102020
Focacci, A. (2025). An Empirical Investigation into the Investment–Saving Relationship Through Granger Non-Causality Panel Tests. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 18(7), 357. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm18070357
Gaffoor, Z., Pietersen, K., Jovanovic, N., Bagula, A., & Kanyerere, T. (2020). Big Data Analytics and Its Role to Support Groundwater Management in the Southern African Development Community. Water, 12(10), 2796. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12102796
Ghorbani Bam, P., Rezaei, N., Roubanis, A., Austin, D., Austin, E., Tarroja, B., Takacs, I., Villez, K., & Rosso, D. (2025). Digital Twin Applications in the Water Sector: A Review. Water, 17(20), 2957. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202957
Gonzalez-Meler, M. A., Cotner, L. A., Massey, D., Zellner, M., & Minor, E. S. (2013). The Environmental and Ecological Benefits of Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Runoff in UrbanAreas. https://jscimedcentral.co m/EnvironmentalScience/environmentalscience-1-1007.pdf
Habeeb, N., & Weli, S. (2021). Combination of GIS with different technologies for water quality: An overview. HighTech and Innovation Journal, 2(3), 262–272. https://doi.org/10.28991/HIJ-2021-02-03-10
Hasan, F., Kabashi, N., Saleh, T., Alam, M., Wahab, M., & Nour, A. (2024). Water quality monitoring using machine learning and IoT: A review. Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering Journal, 8(2), 32–54. https://doi.org/10.31436/cnrej.v8i2.100
Kapucu, N., Ge, Y., Rott, E., & Isgandar, H. (2024). Urban resilience: Multidimensional perspectives, challenges and prospects for future research. Urban Governance, 4(3), 162–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2024.09.003
Khosla, A. (2024). Sustainable Urban Development: Integrating Smart City Technologies for Environmental Resilience. Innovative Research Thoughts, 10(3), 138–142. https://doi.org/10.36676/irt.v10.i4.1472
Kim, M.-G., & Bartos, M. (2024). A digital twin model for contaminant fate and transport in urban and natural drainage networks with online state estimation. Environmental Modelling & Software, 171, 105868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105868
Kong, F., Ban, Y., Yin, H., James, P., & Dronova, I. (2017). Modeling stormwater management at the city district level in response to changes in land use and low impact development. Environmental Modelling & Software, 95, 132–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.06.021
Kumar, P., Debele, S. E., Khalili, S., Halios, C. H., Sahani, J., Aghamohammadi, N., Andrade, M. de F., Athanassiadou, M., Bhui, K., Calvillo, N., Cao, S.-J., Coulon, F., Edmondson, J. L., Fletcher, D., de Freitas, E. D., Guo, H., Hort, M. C., Katti, M., Kjeldsen, T. R., … Jones, L. (2024). Urban heat mitigation by green and blue infrastructure: Drivers, effectiveness, and future needs. The Innovation, 5(2), 100588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100588
Kurunthachalam, S. K. (2014). Water Conservation and Sustainability: An Utmost Importance. Journal of Waste Water Treatment and Analysis, 5(2), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7587.1000E117
Leandro Bertholdo, Renan Paredes, Gabriela Marin, Cesar Loureiro, & Milton Marcos. (2025). Analyzing the effect of an extreme weather event on telecommunications and information technology: Insights from 30 days of flooding. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2509.04219
Lee, J. (2019). Green infrastructure as a solution to hydrological problems: Bioswales and created wetlands. UF Journal of Undergraduate Research, 21. https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.v21i1.108522
Liu, Q., Yang, L., & Yang, M. (2021). Digitalisation for water sustainability: Barriers to implementing circular economy in smart water management. Sustainability, 13, 11868. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111868
Marsalek, J. (2011). Strategies for Enhancing Sustainability of Urban Water Systems (pp. 3–12). Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0280-6_1
Mashhadi, N., Shahrour, I., Attoue, N., El Khattabi, J., & Aljer, A. (2021). Use of Machine Learning for Leak Detection and Localization in Water Distribution Systems. Smart Cities, 4(4), 1293-1315. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4040069
Merlo, T. R., Fard, F., & Hawamdeh, S. (2025). Cloud Computing’s Impact on the Digital Transformation of the Enterprise: A Mixed-Methods Approach. Sustainability, 17(13), 5755. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135755
Mccall, A. (2024). Impact of urbanization on water resources and strategies for effective stormwater management.
Miller, M., Kisiel, A., Cembrowska-Lech, D., Durlik, I., & Miller, T. (2023). IoT in Water Quality Monitoring—Are We Really Here? Sensors, 23(2), 960. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23020960
Mohsin, M. (2024). Sustainable Water Management Solutions for Urban Areas. International Journal for Science Technology and Engineering, 12(10), 538–540. https://doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2024.64528
Monteiro, C. M., Mendes, A. M., & Santos, C. (2023). Green Roofs as an Urban NbS Strategy for Rainwater Retention: Influencing Factors—A Review. Water, 15(15), 2787. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152787
Movva, S. (2024). Development of digital twins for urban water systems. Journal of Technology and Systems, 6, 19–33. https://doi.org/10.47941/jts.1833
Nagal, B., & Prabhakar, A. (2025). Sustainable water management in the digital age: Intelligent solutions for a precious resource. In Advances in water systems and smart management (pp. 91–114). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92421-7_6
Nethanani, R., Ndou, Y., Nchabeleng, W., & Ndlovu, S. (2025). IoT and cloud computing in biological water monitoring: A systematic review of challenges, architectures, and emerging trends. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6848919/v1
Ogunkan, D. V., & Ogunkan, S. K. (2025). Exploring big data applications in sustainable urban infrastructure: A review. Urban Governance, 5(1), 54–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2025.02.003
Patel, K., & Nihalani, S. (2023). A review of urban water networks management using GIS. MethodsX, 11, 102261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2023.102261
Pessoa, E. G. (2025). Permeable Pavements: Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Solutions. https://doi.org/10.56238/livrosindi202520-001
Poyyamozhi, M., Murugesan, B., Rajamanickam, N., Shorfuzzaman, M., & Aboelmagd, Y. (2024). IoT—A Promising Solution to Energy Management in Smart Buildings: A Systematic Review, Applications, Barriers, and Future Scope. Buildings, 14(11), 3446. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113446
Qin, F., Huang, L., Qi, X., Sun, L., Cui, J., & Wei, Y. (2025). Optimal LID Designs Based on SWMM Simulations Regarding the Sustainable Efficacy of Stormwater Management in Port Areas. Sustainability, 17(6), 2544. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062544
Qi, J., & Barclay, N. (2021). Social Barriers and the Hiatus from Successful Green Stormwater Infrastructure Implementation across the US. Hydrology, 8(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology8010010
Rodrigues, A., Formiga, K., & Milograna, J. (2023). Integrated systems for rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse: A systematic review of urban water management strategies. Water Supply, 23, 4112–4125. https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2023.240
Safarpour, H., Tabesh, M., Shahangian, S. A., Hajibabaei, M., & Sitzenfrei, R. (2022). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Wastewater Systems under Applying Water Demand Management Policies. Sustainability, 14(13), 7736. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137736
Sapkota, M., Arora, M., Malano, H., Moglia, M., Sharma, A., George, B., & Pamminger, F. (2014). An overview of hybrid water supply systems in the context of urban water management: Challenges and opportunities. Water, 7, 153–174. https://doi.org/10.3390/w7010153
Scarbrough, K., Persaud, P., Fletcher, I., Akin, A. A., Hathaway, J., & Khojandi, A. (2023). Real-time sensor-based prediction of soil moisture in green infrastructure: A case study. Environmental Modelling & Software, 162, 105638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105638
Srivastava, P., Gupta, S., Mittal, Y., Dhal, N. K., Saeed, T., Martínez, F., & Yadav, A. K. (2022). Constructed wetlands and its coupling with other technologies from lab to field scale for enhanced wastewater treatment and resource recovery. In A. Mungray, A. Mungray, S. Sonawane, & S. Sonawane (Eds.), Novel approaches towards wastewater treatment and resource recovery technologies (pp. 419–446). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90627-2.00019-8
Sun, G., Michelsen, A. M., Sheng, Z., Fang, A. F., Shang, Y., & Zhang, H. (2015). Featured collection introduction: Water for megacities - challenges and solutions. Journal of The American Water Resources Association, 51(3), 585–588. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12317
Taloma, R. J. L., Cuomo, F., Comminiello, D., et al. (2025). Machine learning for smart water distribution systems: Exploring applications, challenges and future perspectives. Artificial Intelligence Review, 58, 120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-024-11093-7
Tan, S. Y., & Taeihagh, A. (2020). Smart City Governance in Developing Countries: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 12(3), 899. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12030899
Vanijjirattikhan, R., Khomsay, S., Kitbutrawat, N., Khomsay, K., Supakchukul, U., Udomsuk, S., Suwatthikul, J., Oumtrakul, N., & Anusart, K. (2022). AI-based acoustic leak detection in water distribution systems. Results in Engineering, 15, 100557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2022.100557
Walter, C. (2024). Digital technologies for the future of the water sector? Examining the discourse on digital water. Geoforum, 148, 103918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103918
Zarei, M., & Shahab, S. (2025). Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Green Infrastructure: A Systematic Review of Success Factors and Implementation Challenges. Land, 14(4), 818. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040818
Zhao, T., Song, C., Yu, J., Xing, L., Xu, F., Li, W., & Wang, Z. (2025). Leveraging immersive digital twins and AI-driven decision support systems for sustainable water reserves management: A conceptual framework. Sustainability, 17, 3754. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083754
Zyoud, S. (2025). Exploring the promising role of Internet of Things in urban water systems: A comprehensive global analysis of insights, trends, and research priorities. Discover Internet of Things, 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43926-025-00129-1
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maharaj Singh Educational Research Development Society
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
