The ‘Digital Water’ working group places digitalisation and automation at the heart of a strategy for a resource-efficient, flexible and competitive water management sector. In doing so, drawing an analogy with the Industry 4.0 initiative, it takes key features and concepts of this industrial revolution – such as ‘interconnection of machines, processes, storage systems and equipment’, ‘smart factory’ and ‘Internet of Things and Services’ – and places them within a systemic, water management context. In practice, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) drive the optimal networking of virtual and real water systems, with planning, construction and operation being largely permeated by software.