The Water Systems Group (WSG) at the University of Ferrara, Italy, was founded with the aim of advancing research and innovation in the field of water resource and water system management. The group actively collaborates with water utilities, participates in educational initiatives, and contributes to guidance projects for high-school and younger students to promote awareness and interest in environmental and engineering disciplines.

The research activity of the WSG focuses primarily on water distribution networks and drainage systems. In the field of water distribution systems, the main topics include demand modelling and forecasting, optimal design and rehabilitation of infrastructures, identification of district metered areas, smart metering technologies, leakage detection and localization, pressure control, security management, distributed disinfection, energy recovery, transient analysis, and model calibration. Research on drainage systems mainly concerns the identification of impervious areas through satellite imagery, the design and management of combined-sewer-overflow devices, best management practices for sewer networks, hydraulic simulation, and drainage model calibration.

Alongside its research activity, the WSG provides consulting services for several Italian water utilities to support the hydraulic and water quality modelling of distribution systems and to develop smart operational strategies for the efficient and sustainable management of urban water networks. Since the early 2000s, the group has collaborated with numerous utilities in north-eastern Italy, including AcegasApsAmga, Acquevenete, AIMAG, BIM Gestione Servizi Pubblici, HERA, CADF, Metropolitana Milanese, and Tea Acque, contributing to a continuous exchange of knowledge between academia and industry.