Published on 22.04.2026
Written by Original article published in Estonian in Trialoog portal. This is FinEst Centre's translation
Tallinn’s underground water networks are not visible from the street, but their disruption can have a direct impact on residents, resulting in flooding and potential environmental pollution. This is precisely the problem that TalTech researchers’ project idea “Proactive Management of Urban Water Networks” aims to solve.
The article was originally published in Trialoog portal, in Estonian: read here.
The team has reached the top five in the international Smart City Challenge program organised by FinEst Centre for Smart Cities. This fall, two pilot projects will be selected and will receive an investment up to 840,000 euros to implement the pilot project.
Ivar Annus, co-author of the solution and professor at TalTech’s Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture , observed that the water infrastructure of cities is designed for different weather conditions than the current ones: “We don’t necessarily have more precipitation, but it is more intense and localized – which is why it may happen that Mustamäe drowns, but the sun shines in Pirita at the same time.”
The situation in Tallinn is complicated by the local co-flow of the pipelines – rainwater and wastewater flow in the same pipes. During heavy rains, the system can become overloaded and untreated wastewater can reach both the urban area and the Baltic Sea.
According to Annus, such a scenario is not an exceptional situation at all, but an inevitability for engineers: systems are designed in such a way that flooding occurs in extreme conditions. The question is rather how often it happens and how well the situation can be managed.
The project’s goal is not to build new pipes, but to better understand how the existing system works. The solution focuses on detailed monitoring – the idea that without sufficient information, it is not possible to effectively manage the system. “If we don’t monitor systems with sufficient detail, we won’t be able to manage them better,” Annus emphasized.
To improve monitoring, it is planned to use robots that move through the pipelines and collect data from places that are difficult for people to access or are dangerous to go. The collected information will be fed into a digital twin of the water network – a virtual model that allows for analysis and prediction of the system’s performance.
This approach means that the city does not necessarily have to invest in expensive new infrastructure, but can use the existing network more wisely. “We do not want to start building bigger pipes, the goal is to alleviate the problem using existing pipes,” said Annus.
According to Annus, the project will have a very practical impact on the urban environment. The first direct benefit concerns flood reduction, while the second is for the environment. Since rainwater and wastewater mix in co-flow systems, this also affects the quality of the water discharged into the sea during extreme weather conditions.
Although the project may seem technical at first glance, it has a very practical impact on the urban environment. The first direct benefit concerns flood reduction. “Water network operators will be able to react more quickly to rapidly changing conditions to reduce the risk of flooding in the urban environment,” explained Annus.
Another, less visible but equally important impact concerns the environment. Since rainwater and wastewater are mixed in co-flow systems, this also affects the quality of the water discharged into the sea during extreme weather conditions. “Better-managed systems reduce the risk of environmental pollution, which ultimately means cleaner beaches and a more pleasant living environment.”
In other words, smarter managed underground infrastructure can directly impact the safety of swimming in the sea.
Although the idea of the solution is clear, it is far from easy to implement. Annus considers the biggest challenge to be the relatively hostile environment – pipelines, where robots must reach and operate independently. “We want to take robots to places where it is difficult or inconvenient for humans to reach – deep pipelines with complex conditions.”
Currently, “Proactive Management of Urban Water Networks” is one of the five finalists of the Smart City Challenge program. The next stage is decisive: from April to August, teams will develop a detailed pilot project together with cities and experts – an action plan, budget and real implementation logic.
In the fall, the projects will be finally evaluated and two out of five will be selected to receive support of up to 840,000 euros and reach the pilot project phase. The selected solutions will launch in November 2026 and last until the end of 2028.
Trialoog’s original article: Read in Estonian
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