The Barcelona City Hall teamed up with MICA ECO to pilot a data-driven approach to household water management during drought conditions.

Barcelona, like many cities around the world, faces growing water scarcity. Climate change is reducing rainfall, droughts are becoming more frequent, and urban populations are increasing. Household water use is a critical lever to reduce demand, yet cities often lack the detailed, real-time data to understand where water is being used and how to influence behaviors effectively.

Traditional approaches — blanket campaigns or restrictions — are often untargeted and inefficient, leaving municipalities unprepared to manage demand during droughts.

Barcelona wanted to explore whether high-resolution household water data and AI-driven insights could help households reduce consumption while empowering citizens.