A centre of excellence for water management in Valais
BlueArk and the HES-SO Valais-Wallis have joined forces to develop industrial skills in the field of water management.
The goals of the STREAM partnership are to provide support in the training of water experts and set up R&D projects to:
- develop digital tools for the operational management and governance of water;
- design and develop methodologies for the implementation and transfer of tools to other regions;
- evaluate the impact of these tools from a sustainability perspective.
Via these projects, the partnership also aims to:
- transfer technologies and skills to local stakeholders;
- encourage the founding of new businesses.
In June 2024, the partners signed a five-year agreement to establish and develop the STREAM (Sustainable Technology Research in Aqua Management) applied research centre.
Digital tools for sustainable water management
Droughts, pollution, the future of glaciers, snow scarcity, torrential rain, debris flows, returns of concessions, loss and maintenance of the networks, irrigation of the meadows, changes in water requirements and multiple use of water are just some of the challenges that water network managers, local authorities, consumers and tourism stakeholders must face and adapt to.
It is thus becoming ever more important to be aware of local developments, anticipate their consequences and adapt accordingly.
In this context, STREAM’s mission is to build up joint expertise between the HES-SO Valais-Wallis and BlueArk in the field of water management as well as to provide training in this field.
Priority is being given to the development of digital tools, as they allow:
- better understanding of the uses and resources;
- the development of management tools for water network supply infrastructures;
- prediction of water requirements (drinking water, vegetation);
- prediction of resource availability;
- the development of a planning tool to aid policy-makers with water allocation.
Main research areas
Monitoring
Real-time monitoring of water networks, requirements and uses.
Efficient regulation of the infrastructures in the short term
Development of digital tools for efficient management of water networks, to improve energy efficiency or aid with the allocation of water in accordance with the available resources.
Long-term governance
Development of digital tools for long-term water planning and management taking into consideration the various uses and requirements of local stakeholders (residents, agriculture, industry, tourism).
Val de Bagnes: the Alpine water capital
Contact
In addition to its offices at the School of Engineering on the Energypolis campus in Sion, the STREAM team also has offices next to those of BlueArk in Val de Bagnes. It works directly with the employees of the water network managers of the BlueArk shareholder municipalities. With STREAM, the municipality of Val de Bagnes aims to become a major player on the international stage in the search for solutions to the challenges of water management in the Alpine region.
We would be delighted to hear from you: emilie.neveu[at]hevs.ch.
Team
Budget and financing
STREAM is being financed by the partners and via third-party funding (SFOE, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, SNSF, Innosuisse, etc.) obtained in the scope of specific projects. The collaboration agreement covers a period of five years and is aiming for an annual turnover of CHF 1 million in the long term.