Water Informatics and Its Emergence: The Context of Foundation, Applications and Latest Technologies

Water Informatics is an interdisciplinary branch of Information Science and Technology dedicated in collection, selection, organization, processing, management and dissemination of information related to water and allied concern. Water Informatics is close with the Hydroinformatics expecting few additional and different features. Water Informatics is considered as a branch of Environmental Informatics. It has become an interdisciplinary field of study concerning with water of different sources and their proper management using different sub-technologies of IT and Computing. The concept and features including stakeholders of Water Informatics is changing rapidly due to its emergence. Many Countries have started initiative on developing Water Informatics practice for better water systems of the country concerned, even many developing countries also join in such race. Gradually technologies are also changing viz. Cloud Computing, Big Data, Advanced Geo Information Systems, Remote Sensing and so on. Use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT) are also considered as latest addition in this space. This chapter is about Water Informatics including illustrating its foundation, basic scope and emergence, rapid and growing technologies in water management. The chapter also focuses on educational, training opportunities available and to be made in this promising interdisciplinary field. This Chapter also illustrated few aspects of National Water Informatics Centre, Government of India as a short overview.