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Get to know the brains behind Thirst6!
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Here's a look at our Dashboard, equipped to give the user a brief overview of water usage, in their selected municipality
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This is the History page, equipped with detailed analytics and a feedback form for user interactivity!
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Here's the alerts page, where alerts are posted and sorted according to severity. The community section is for water-related articles!
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My heart is beating so fast
Inspiration
The inspiration for this project stems from the critical need for sustainable water management in South Africa, a country that frequently faces water scarcity, shortages and undrinkable water. Currently, there are no active campaigns related to the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation and our goal is to solve a problem that exists and is often overlooked yet, it impacts the essence of our lives. With climate change exacerbating these challenges, it is increasingly important for municipalities to have the tools necessary to monitor and manage their water consumption effectively. By creating an accessible, real-time water usage meter, the project aims to empower municipalities to make informed decisions, reduce wastage, and contribute to broader water conservation efforts. The idea is inspired by the concept that small, actionable changes at the municipal level can collectively lead to significant positive environmental impact.
What it does
In summary, the smart water management system serves as a comprehensive tool for tracking, analysing, and managing water consumption, with the ultimate goal of promoting water conservation and responsible usage.
Features
Scalability Thirst6 is not only vital for addressing South Africa’s water challenges but also scalable for global impact. With nearly 2.3 billion people living in water-stressed countries and over 700 million at risk of severe water scarcity by 2030, the need for smart water management tools is urgent worldwide. Thirst6’s data-driven approach can be adapted across diverse regions, making it a crucial solution for sustainable water management. As it evolves, Thirst6 could even align with the United Nations' SDG 6, contributing to a global campaign for ensuring water availability and sustainable practices for all.
Room for growth Thirst6 has significant room for growth, with the potential to evolve far beyond its current capabilities. In the future, it could incorporate physical meters that track live data on water usage, providing real-time insights directly to users. Additionally, Thirst6 could expand to include water quality testing, ensuring not only efficient water usage but also safe and clean water for households. As the system becomes more sophisticated, it could transition from a community tool to a household staple, offering personalized water management and quality monitoring. This evolution would position Thirst6 as an essential technology for sustainable living and smart water management on a global scale.
Integration with existing systems Thirst6 has strong potential for integration with existing water management systems, enhancing their efficiency and scope. By connecting with municipal water distribution networks, Thirst6 could provide detailed, real-time data on water usage, helping to identify leaks, inefficiencies, or areas requiring maintenance. Additionally, it could be integrated with smart home systems, allowing households to monitor and control their water usage seamlessly alongside other utilities. This adaptability makes Thirst6 a valuable addition to existing infrastructure, complementing and upgrading current water management practices while driving progress toward more sustainable water use at both local and global levels.
How we built it
Despite being over 500km apart, we collaborated seamlessly through GitHub, sharing a repository with clearly defined ownership. We efficiently managed our work by separating the front-end and back-end development, ensuring smooth integration and cohesive results.
Challenges we ran into
- Cost of electronics components led us to simplify our water meter and make it a smart water management tool.
- Time constraints With the deadline 13 days from the day we began brainstorming, we were pressed for time to create a fully functional system with frontend and backend functionality
- Distance Meetings had to be scheduled online and structured according to our schedules
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of joining our first Hackathon!
What we learned
"I learnt the power of collaboration, communication and passion. My teammate was really enthusiastic and supportive throughout this Hackathon. We only discovered the hackathon 2 weeks prior to the deadline but because of passion and the power of collaboration we submitted work of a high quality (ate that up)." - Nonhlelo Doncabe "I loved the learning experience because it exposed me to a new framework via my experienced teammate. I enjoyed working on this project as it aligned with my interests ( I was really excited). During our research we exposed ourselves to the difficulties facing our South African climate - water scarcity. It was a true eye opener and I am fortunate to have been a part of the solution #weAte" - Phumelele Dlamini
What's next for Thirst6
We’re just getting started. In the future, we see Thirst6 expanding into physical water meters equipped with advanced features like flow rate monitoring and potentially even water quality testing. This would allow us to provide even more detailed data to municipalities and ensure clean, safe water for all.
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