W.O.D.A. - HydroLens: Urban Flood & Infrastructure Sentinel

Idea 

HydroLens is an integrated urban monitoring platform designed to detect, verify, and prioritize water infrastructure failures and contamination risks. By combining geolocated citizen reports with high-resolution European satellite data, we address the critical problem of undetected water pipe leakages and sewage/chemical cross-contamination. 

In many urban and rural areas, aging infrastructure leads to massive "Non-Revenue Water" losses and, more dangerously, toxic infiltration of drinking water supplies. Our solution uses a hybrid approach: citizens report anomalies via mobile app, and our system performs a "Digital Handshake" with Copernicus and Galileo assets to verify the event. HydroLens doesn't just map leaks; it predicts structural disaster risks (like sinkholes) and provides real-time health alerts to authorities, moving water management from reactive repairs to proactive urban resilience. 

️EU Space Technologies 

Our platform relies on a sophisticated fusion of EU space assets: 

• Procedure for Leakage & Contamination Identification: 
• Galileo & EGNOS: We use EGNOS-augmented Galileo signals to record user reports with sub-meter precision (20cm). This is vital for urban "canyons" where standard GPS fails, ensuring repair crews find the exact pipe location. 
• Copernicus Sentinel-2 (Optical/Multispectral): We apply the NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) to detect unusual surface moisture and spectral anomalies in soil that indicate underground bursts. 
• Copernicus Sentinel-1 (SAR): Used for InSAR analysis to detect micro-movements in the ground caused by soil saturation, predicting potential sinkholes or building instabilities. 
• Anomaly Detection: We monitor for specific spectral signatures that suggest chemical or organic (sewage) pollutants in the water or soil. 

Data Access & Intelligence: 

• Data is accessed via Copernicus Browser APIs (OData/OpenSearch). 
• Machine Learning Integration: A custom ML model classifies user-submitted photos to distinguish between harmless rain puddles and high-pressure pipe bursts. 
• Risk Score Algorithm: Automatically calculates the urgency based on proximity to critical infrastructure (hospitals/schools) and the detected pollutant type. 

EU Space for Water – Challenge Addressed 

HydroLens directly addresses all three pillars of the "Space for Water" challenge: 

• Securing Equitable Access: By identifying leaks instantly, we reduce water waste, ensuring stable supply and lowering costs for the community. 
• Preventing Water Pollution: We track cross-contamination events (sewage/chemicals leaking into water lines), acting as a frontline defense for public health. 
• Disaster Risk Monitoring: We monitor ground stability to prevent infrastructure collapse. 

Health & Safety Impact: 

Priority Escalation: Leaks near "Vulnerable Zones" (schools/hospitals) receive a Critical Urgency tag. 

Pollution Alerts: Immediate notification to local water utilities and Environmental Inspectors to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks. 

Development Phases 

Phase 1: Community Engagement & Gamification  

1. Reward System: Users earn "Eco-Points" for every verified report. 
2. Gamified Experience: Under the motto "Protect and Earn," digital credits can be redeemed for: 

1. Discounts on monthly water or utility bills;
2. Vouchers for municipal services or local eco-friendly businesses; 
3. Public Campaigns: Partnering with schools to teach "Water Guardianship" through the app. 

Phase 2: Targeted Response & Emergency Coordination

• Institutional Handshake: Verified reports generate a professional metadata package (GPS, Satellite Proof, Pollution Level) sent directly to:

  • Ministry of Environment & Physical Planning (MOEPP): For environmental impact tracking and policy data.

  • PE Water supply and sewerage Skopje (Vodovod i Kanalizacija): For immediate repair of water and sewage lines.

  • ESM Skopje Heating (ESM Snabduvanje so toplina): To coordinate if leaks occur near hot water distribution networks.

• Public Awareness: Real-time data feeds sent to Local News Outlets to inform the public about infrastructure status and traffic disruptions.

• 1 km Safety Perimeter: If the system detects High Criticality (e.g., toxic sewage infiltration or high-pressure bursts), it triggers a geofenced mobile alert to all citizens within a 1 km radius, advising on safety measures or water usage warnings.

Phase 3: Long-term Stability & Digital Twins

• Urban Risk Database: Creating a historical map of soil moisture for Skopje to identify "Soft Zones" prone to sinkholes.

• Predictive Maintenance: Using Sentinel-1 InSAR data every 3 months to monitor the displacement of ground near heavy heating pipes and water mains.

• Policy Support: Providing the MOEPP with seasonal reports on urban water health to support the National Environmental Strategy.

Long-Term Vision 

HydroLens aims to become: 

• A standard urban "Digital X-ray" for water resilience across European smart cities. 
• A nationally integrated Early Warning System for environmental health, protecting citizens from toxic water contamination. 
• An essential tool for the Construction Industry to assess site safety and underground water risks under the European Green Deal. 

References 

• European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). (2026). The EU Space Programme: Galileo, EGNOS, and Copernicus Services. Retrieved from https://www.euspa.europa.eu/eu-space-programme. Accessed on April 24, 2026.
• European Space Agency (ESA). (2024). Sentinel-2 for Water Quality and Urban Monitoring: Technical Guide. Retrieved from https://sentinel.esa.int/web/sentinel/missions/sentinel-2. Accessed on April 24, 2026.
• Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of the Republic of North Macedonia (MOEPP). (2023). National Strategy for Sustainable Development and Water Resource Protection. Retrieved from https://www.moepp.gov.mk/. Accessed on April 25, 2026.
• Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). (2024). Urban Atlas: High-Resolution Land Cover and Ground Stability Datasets. Retrieved from https://land.copernicus.eu/. Accessed on April 25, 2026.
• Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem. (2026). Sentinel Hub API Documentation: Data Collections and Access. Retrieved from https://documentation.dataspace.copernicus.eu/APIs/SentinelHub/Data.html. Accessed on April 25, 2026.
• Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem. (2026). Sentinel-1 GRD Processing: Examples and API Implementation. Retrieved from https://documentation.dataspace.copernicus.eu/APIs/SentinelHub/Process/Examples/S1GRD.html. Accessed on April 25, 2026.

Team: W.O.D.A. (Water Observation of Data Analytics) 

Our team of 8 is a multi-disciplinary task force designed to scale space-tech into a viable business. 

• Anastasija Taskova – Founder & Lead Data Scientist: Expert in ML and data architecture, responsible for the AI verification engine and overall project vision. 
• Ilina Stevanoska – Chief Operations Officer (COO): Specializes in business strategy and municipal partnerships; lead on the B2G/B2B revenue models. 
• Elena Markovska – Lead Software Architect: Senior developer managing the Java/JSP stack and Tomcat server integration for robust backend performance. 
• Ivana Lazarovska – Management and Business Development: Ensures smooth coordination, oversees operations, manages resources, and keeps the project on track.  
• Magdalena Stankovska – Systems & Database Admin: Responsible for the SQLite/MySQL hybrid structure, ensuring seamless offline functionality for field crews. 
• Petar Canoski– Full-Stack Developer: Focuses on the mobile user interface, ensuring a frictionless 2-click reporting flow for citizens. 
• Hristina Markovska – UX & Gamification Lead: Designer of the "Eco-Points" reward system, focused on maximizing citizen engagement and retention. 
• Magdalena Mihajlova – Sustainability & Market Analyst: Specialist in ESG metrics; responsible for calculating "Liters Saved" and environmental impact data for stakeholders.