Self-Healing Water Systems: The Future of Smart, Adaptive, and Regenerative Water Networks

Abstract

Water scarcity and pollution remain critical global challenges, exacerbated by aging infrastructure, climate change, and inefficient management. Traditional water treatment and distribution systems are inherently reactive, requiring frequent maintenance and resource-intensive interventions. This review pioneers the concept of self-healing water systems an uncharted frontier in sustainable water management that integrates biomimetic materials, artificial intelligence (AI), nanotechnology, and microbial-assisted remediation to create autonomous, adaptive, and regenerative water networks.

• •
  Water scarcity, infrastructure aging, and contamination are pressing global challenges requiring innovative and sustainable solutions.

• •
  This review explores the emerging concept of Self-Healing Water Systems (SHWS) an integration of smart sensing, microbial technologies, and regenerative engineering.

• •
  SHWS are designed to autonomously detect, respond to, and recover from damage, reducing human intervention and operational costs.

• •
  The paper highlights interdisciplinary approaches combining microbial electrochemical systems, AI-driven diagnostics, nanomaterials, and cyber-physical infrastructure.

• •
  Real-world examples and pilot models are examined to showcase adaptive behaviour, fault tolerance, and energy efficiency of SHWS.

• •
  The potential of SHWS to align with circular economy principles and Sustainable Development Goals (especially SDG 6) is discussed.

• •
  Opportunities for integrating blockchain-based governance for transparency and accountability are also explored.

• •
  The paper concludes by identifying key research gaps, including data standardization, scalability, and the removal of emerging contaminants.

• •
  Overall, SHWS represent a transformative leap toward resilient, intelligent, and eco-regenerative water infrastructure for the future.

The review synthesizes interdisciplinary insights and critically evaluates the scalability, energy efficiency, and integration potential of these technologies within existing water management frameworks. We propose a next-generation paradigm shift envisioning water systems that self-monitor, self-repair, and self-regulate minimizing human intervention while maximizing resilience and sustainability. By bridging the gap between engineering, microbiology, and data science, this article presents a comprehensive blueprint for future water security and sets a new research agenda for deploying self-healing technologies in the Anthropocene.