ICT Innovation to Promote Sustainable Development Goals: Implementation of Smart Water Pipeline Monitoring System Based on Narrowband Internet of Things

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Water pipeline monitoring is very important, and the water pipeline monitoring system is valuable based on the NB-IoT technology. The manuscript should be revised as follows.

(1) This manuscript focuses on the water pipeline monitoring system based on the NB-IoT technology, but the Title is about water resources monitoring system, the scope of the Title is too big, so it is recommended that it is about the water pipeline monitoring system based on the NB-IoT technology, and the related contents are accordingly adjusted.

(2) In the Abstract, it is necessary to explain the challenges facing global water resources management (or water pipeline monitoring). Why is it necessary to carry out the NB-IoT research?

(3) In the Introduction, the current problems of water resources monitoring (or water pipeline monitoring) are not described in detail and need to be added.

(4) In Related Works, the contents are described in a confusing and illogical manner. The contents of the literature review should be merged into the Introduction, and the contents of the principles of the NB-IoT system should be merged into the Methodologies. In Related Works, the contents of the literature review should be concise, highlighting the problems and countermeasures of the water resources monitoring (or water pipeline monitoring), so as to correspond to the research aim of this manuscript.

(5) In the Methodologies, the design of the experimental program should be supplemented, and the evaluation methods and standards of the relevant system performance should be added.

(6) In the Experiment Results and Analysis, the results are described in a confusing and illogical manner, and it is suggested that they be presented separately according to the design of the experimental program. The conclusions in Lines 371-381 have no basis and lack the necessary data, and should be supplemented with relevant supporting materials or deleted. The timeliness of the NB-IoT system lacks the necessary test data and needs to be supplemented with the relevant data.

(7) In the Experiment Results and Analysis, there is no comparative analysis with related literature, which cannot highlight the innovativeness of this manuscript. It is suggested to supplement the comparative analysis between the NB-IoT system of this manuscript and the related literature, so as to put forward the innovation and research significance. The problems of the NB-IoT system need to be supplemented and analyzed.

(8) In the Conclusions, it is necessary to add the outlook of the next research.

(9) There are many vocabulary and grammatical errors in the manuscript, and the English expression is not standardized, which needs to be corrected and polished in the whole manuscript. For example, Methodology should be Methodologies; Experiment Result should be Experiment Results; Conclusion should be Conclusions.

(10) Some of the units are correctly expressed and need to be corrected. For example, Mpa should be MPa in Figure 12.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

There are many vocabulary and grammatical errors in the manuscript, and the English expression is not standardized, which needs to be corrected and polished in the whole manuscript. 

Author Response

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Water pipeline monitoring is very important, and the water pipeline monitoring system is valuable based on the NB-IoT technology. The manuscript should be revised as follows.

 

(1) This manuscript focuses on the water pipeline monitoring system based on the NB-IoT technology, but the Title is about water resources monitoring system, the scope of the Title is too big, so it is recommended that it is about the water pipeline monitoring system based on the NB-IoT technology, and the related contents are accordingly adjusted.

ICT innovation to promote sustainable development goals: Implementation of smart water pipeline monitoring system based on NB-IoT

 

(2) In the Abstract, it is necessary to explain the challenges facing global water resources management (or water pipeline monitoring). Why is it necessary to carry out the NB-IoT research?

Abstract (P:1)

Water resource management faces several significant global challenges, including water scarcity, inefficient resource utilization, and infrastructure degradation. Traditional water pipeline monitoring systems are often manual, time-consuming, and unable to detect leaks or failures in real-time, leading to significant water loss and financial costs. In response to these issues, NB-IoT technology offers a promising solution with its advantages of low power consumption, long-range communication, and cost-effectiveness. The development of an NB-IoT-based smart water pipeline monitoring system is therefore essential for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of water resource management. By enabling real-time monitoring and data collection, this system can address critical issues in global water management, reducing waste and supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs).

 

(3) In the Introduction, the current problems of water resources monitoring (or water pipeline monitoring) are not described in detail and need to be added.

 

1.「Introduction」(P.1-2)

Current water pipeline monitoring systems face several critical challenges that hinder efficient water resource management. First, traditional systems rely heavily on manual inspections, which are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often fail to detect pipeline leaks or failures promptly. This delay in detection leads to significant water losses and increased operational costs. Second, many regions suffer from aging infrastructure, where outdated pipelines are prone to frequent leaks and bursts, exacerbating the problem of water wastage. In Taiwan, for instance, the high frequency of earthquakes combined with an aging water pipeline network results in an annual loss of approximately 440 million tons of water due to leakage. Third, the lack of real-time monitoring capabilities in current systems limits the ability to proactively address issues, as problems are typically discovered only after substantial damage has occurred.

 

 

(4) In Related Works, the contents are described in a confusing and illogical manner. The contents of the literature review should be merged into the Introduction, and the contents of the principles of the NB-IoT system should be merged into the Methodologies. In Related Works, the contents of the literature review should be concise, highlighting the problems and countermeasures of the water resources monitoring (or water pipeline monitoring), so as to correspond to the research aim of this manuscript.

 

1.「Introduction」: (P.1-2)

Previous research on water resource monitoring systems has focused on addressing inefficiencies and data accuracy issues caused by manual monitoring processes. Studies such as Lalle et al. (2019) demonstrated the advantages of using LPWAN technologies, particularly NB-IoT, in water grid systems by comparing its performance with other technologies like LoRa and Sigfox. Chen et al. (2017) further developed an NB-IoT-based system for monitoring water and gas meters, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing deployment costs and improving data communication reliability. Other research efforts, such as Nugroho et al. (2019), emphasized the scalability and resource-saving potential of NB-IoT, highlighting its ability to handle large-scale deployments with low network utilization.

2.「Methodologies」: (P.7)

NB-IoT is a wireless telecommunication standard developed by 3GPP. It operates in the licensed band and offers advantages such as low power consumption, long-range communication, and the ability to connect numerous IoT devices. The core architecture of NB-IoT comprises IoT devices, a telecommunications base station, a core network, and a cloud platform. This study leverages NB-IoT’s capability to link IoT sensors with a cloud platform for real-time data transmission and monitoring. The key components and advantages of NB-IoT, including its low deployment cost and high-quality service, make it a suitable choice for large-scale water pipeline monitoring.

3.「Related Works」(P.3)

Existing water resource monitoring systems face several challenges, including inefficiencies in manual inspections, delayed leak detection, and outdated infrastructure. To address these issues, NB-IoT technology has emerged as a promising solution due to its ability to provide real-time monitoring, reduce operational costs, and improve system scalability. Recent studies have highlighted the effectiveness of NB-IoT in various applications, demonstrating its potential in improving the accuracy and timeliness of water pipeline monitoring, which aligns with the objectives of this study to enhance sustainable water resource management.

 

 

(5) In the Methodologies, the design of the experimental program should be supplemented, and the evaluation methods and standards of the relevant system performance should be added.

3.3.4 Failover Mechanisms (p. 11-12)

In the event of a network disruption or cyber-attack, the system is designed to activate a failover protocol that immediately switches data flow to a secondary network route. This mechanism helps ensure uninterrupted data transmission, which is crucial for maintaining public safety and operational continuity.

In this study, we designed and implemented a water circulation model, as shown in Figure 10, consisting of a flowmeter, pressure gauge, solenoid valve, and water pump. The solenoid valve’s open/close operation simulates the water hammer effect within pipelines, while the flow and pressure readings are transmitted via NB-IoT through the ESPCore development board to a cloud system for real-time monitoring. The ESPCore board, developed with high expandability for water resource monitoring, enables broad-area implementation using domestic water pipelines as a testing scenario. This automatic monitoring system enhances data timeliness and accuracy, reduces labor costs, and facilitates efficient pipeline facility management. IoT devices within the water pipeline system are connected to the ESPCore board, and data are transmitted through the NB-IoT network and the licensed telecommunications base station. This setup ensures data security and privacy, supported by the licensed band of the telecommunications provider, enabling secure wireless data transmission and achieving robust, automated data monitoring and management.

 

Figure 10. NB-IoT water resource monitoring model

 

(6) In the Experiment Results and Analysis, the results are described in a confusing and illogical manner, and it is suggested that they be presented separately according to the design of the experimental program. The conclusions in Lines 371-381 have no basis and lack the necessary data, and should be supplemented with relevant supporting materials or deleted. The timeliness of the NB-IoT system lacks the necessary test data and needs to be supplemented with the relevant data.

Lines 371-381 had been deleted.

 

(7) In the Experiment Results and Analysis, there is no comparative analysis with related literature, which cannot highlight the innovativeness of this manuscript. It is suggested to supplement the comparative analysis between the NB-IoT system of this manuscript and the related literature, so as to put forward the innovation and research significance. The problems of the NB-IoT system need to be supplemented and analyzed.

5. Innovative Applications of NB-IoT in Water Pipeline Monitoring (P.15-16)

This study presents innovative applications of NB-IoT for monitoring water supply pipelines, including a cloud-based NB-IoT leakage detection system that utilizes flow data from both ends of the pipeline to remotely identify leaks and trigger alerts when anomalies are detected (Shi et al., 2020). Additionally, through NB-IoT and ICT integration, real-time flow monitoring is enabled, helping to manage Non-Revenue Water (NRW) more effectively and reduce water waste in distribution networks (Srinivasan et al., 2021).

While Shi et al. (2020) demonstrated reliable leakage detection, their system lacks the capability to identify high-pressure zones within the pipeline network—areas often indicative of weak points where leaks may eventually occur. Similarly, Srinivasan et al. (2021) focused on real-time flow monitoring to minimize NRW but did not address pressure monitoring, which could help localize potential stress points, leading to pipeline failure.

Building on these findings, this study proposes a novel approach that combines both flow and pressure monitoring. Through integrating pressure-based leak prediction with real-time flow data, this study enhances the functionality of NB-IoT monitoring systems, expanding their role from mere leak detection to predictive maintenance. This dual-monitoring approach improves water resource management efficiency and promotes sustainable maintenance by proactively addressing potential pipeline vulnerabilities. Future research may further refine this system by enhancing the pressure sensitivity and incorporating advanced data analytics to improve leak prediction accuracy.

Shi, Z., Wang, M., Lin, H., Lin, H., Gao, Z., & Huang, L. (2019, October). NB-IOT pipeline water leakage automatic monitoring system based on cloud platform. In 2019 IEEE 13th international conference on anti-counterfeiting, security, and identification (ASID) (pp. 272-276). IEEE.

Srinivasan, R., Feisso, S., & Mekonen, M. (2021). NB-IoT-based smart water network. In Principles and applications of nar-rowband internet of things (NBIoT) (pp. 245-272). IGI Global.

Lee, C. W., Jeong, H., Ryu, J. H., Park, J., & Choi, B. C. (2021, October). System for multi parameter water quality monitoring based on NB-IoT. In 2021 International Conference on Information and Communication Technology Convergence (ICTC) (pp. 759-761). IEEE.

 

(8) In the Conclusions, it is necessary to add the outlook of the next research.

Conclusions (P.16)

Future research will focus on enhancing the robustness and scalability of the NB-IoT-based water pipeline monitoring system. One area of interest is the integration of machine learning algorithms to improve predictive maintenance by analyzing historical data and detecting potential pipeline issues before they occur. Additionally, exploring hybrid communication models that combine NB-IoT with other LPWAN technologies, such as LoRa, may help to optimize network performance under various environmental conditions. Finally, expanding the system to monitor other critical infrastructure types, such as gas pipelines and energy grids, would provide a more comprehensive solution for smart city infrastructure management, further supporting sustainable development goals.

 

(9) There are many vocabulary and grammatical errors in the manuscript, and the English expression is not standardized, which needs to be corrected and polished in the whole manuscript. For example, Methodology should be Methodologies; Experiment Result should be Experiment Results; Conclusion should be Conclusions.

Thank you for your valuable feedback regarding the language and terminology in the manuscript. We have carefully revised the manuscript to address these issues. The section titles, including "Methodologies," "Experiment Results," and "Conclusions," have been updated as suggested. Additionally, the entire manuscript has been polished for vocabulary, grammar, and clarity with the assistance of a professional editing service, as verified by the English Editing Certificate (Certificate ID: English-Editing-Certificate-86553).

(10) Some of the units are correctly expressed and need to be corrected. For example, Mpa should be MPa in Figure 12.

Thank you for pointing out the inconsistencies in unit notation. We have carefully reviewed and corrected all relevant instances of "Mpa" to "MPa" in both the text and Figure 12 to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors, your manuscript "ICT innovation to promote sustainable development goals: Implementation of smart water resources monitoring system based on NB-IoT" is an interesting topic. Overall, your paper is very detailed and well written. 

A couple of areas of concern with this type of technology that I think are relevant to address, especially in today's environment are the following:

1. Since water quality systems will be monitored by NB-IoT networks and technology, how do you ensure backup security in the event that hackers break into the system? Is there redundancy built into this type of network configuration on order to protect people's livelihood and sensitive data? How would this work in the NB-IoT environment since everyday or conventional device-centric mechanisms such as antivirus software, software upgrade patches, are probably not realistic in an NB-IoT environment?

I would suggest adding some other literature to address the questions above, and I I believe that this will further enrich your paper.

The above are my suggestions.

Thank you.

 

Author Response

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors, your manuscript "ICT innovation to promote sustainable development goals: Implementation of smart water resources monitoring system based on NB-IoT" is an interesting topic. Overall, your paper is very detailed and well written.

 

A couple of areas of concern with this type of technology that I think are relevant to address, especially in today's environment are the following:

 

1. Since water quality systems will be monitored by NB-IoT networks and technology, how do you ensure backup security in the event that hackers break into the system? Is there redundancy built into this type of network configuration on order to protect people's livelihood and sensitive data? How would this work in the NB-IoT environment since everyday or conventional device-centric mechanisms such as antivirus software, software upgrade patches, are probably not realistic in an NB-IoT environment?

 

I would suggest adding some other literature to address the questions above, and I I believe that this will further enrich your paper.

 

The above are my suggestions.

 

「Methodologies」(p:11)

3.3 Data Security and System Redundancy Design in NB-IoT Environments

To ensure data security and backup in the NB-IoT-based water quality monitoring system, several layers of redundancy and security protocols were implemented to mitigate the risk of cyber intrusions:

3.3.1 Network Encryption and Secure Transmission

All data transmitted via the NB-IoT network is encrypted using advanced encryption standards (AES) to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, data packets are transmitted through a secure tunnel to the cloud platform, minimizing exposure to potential threats.

3.3.2 Redundancy Configuration

To address the need for resilience, the system incorporates data mirroring across multiple servers. This redundancy ensures that even if one server is compromised, the data can be quickly recovered from backup servers, thereby maintaining continuous monitoring and data integrity.

3.3.3 Device Authentication and Access Control

Each NB-IoT device is registered with unique identifiers and secure authentication protocols. Only authenticated devices are granted network access, which reduces the risk of unauthorized devices penetrating the system.

3.3.4 Failover Mechanisms

In the event of a network disruption or cyber-attack, the system is designed to activate a failover protocol that immediately switches data flow to a secondary network route. This mechanism helps ensure uninterrupted data transmission, which is crucial for maintaining public safety and operational continuity.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

No.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

 The English could be improved to more clearly express the research.