Water is one of our most vital yet least understood resources—especially in technologically advanced nations like Germany. This talk opens the black box of water consumption, revealing how hidden patterns in usage impact climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure planning. By leveraging data and technology, we can decode our water habits, challenge assumptions, and design smarter systems for a changing world. Understanding water isn’t just about conservation—it’s about transformation. Is the co-founder and CEO of hydrop systems, a greentech startup based in Stuttgart that launched in 2025. hydrop systems is on a mission to make water consumption transparent and understandable for everyone, helping to foster greater awareness of this precious and limited resource. Together with her co-founders, Moritz Emberger and Raimund Koop, Katrin is driving the digitization of water meters to bring sustainability into everyday life for every person.Her journey began with a deep passion for environmental issues, which she initially explored through studies in literature and video journalism. Realizing she wanted to be an active force for change, she shifted her focus and pursued an engineering degree in renewable energy. It was during this time that she recognized how overlooked the topic of water is in Germany and decided to do something about it. This ultimately inspired the founding of hydrop systems. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx