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How deep tech is helping utilities reduce non-revenue water

Exclusive interview: H2O Global News Editor Sion Geschwindt spoke to BuntPlanet CEO and co-founder Ainhoa Lete, about non-revenue water and how emerging smart technologies are helping utilities combat the problem.

From source to treatment to tap – a lot of energy, time, and expense goes into supplying the water that flows from our taps. And in a world confronted with challenges such as population Association (IWA) puts this figure at a whopping USD 39 billion per year. That is 346 million cubic metres per day. growth and climate change – every drop really does count.

But shockingly, approximately 30% of all the water that is produced is lost before ever reaching the consumer.

This wastage is known as non-revenue water (NRW) and it’s a really big issue. Authors of the study, Roland Liemberger (who also co-authored the 2006 paper) and Alan Wyatt emphasised that, “not only is this an enormous financial concern, but elevated NRW also detracts from water utilities, in a time of increasing scarcity and climate change, from reaching their goals of full service coverage at a reliable price.” The researchers go on to highlight that if the world’s volume of NRW was slashed by a third, the savings would be sufficient to supply 800 million people. Clearly NRW is a big problem that requires some pretty urgent solutions. But how exactly can utilities go about reducing NRW?

‘‘ “If the world’s volume of non-revenue water was slashed by a third, the savings would be enough to supply 800 million people.”

Water waste

NRW can occur through physical losses from leaking and broken pipes as well as commercial losses caused by the under-registration of customer meters, data handling errors, illegal connections and theft.

High levels of NRW reflect huge volumes of water being lost, not being invoiced to customers, or both.

Not only is NRW a waste of precious freshwater, it seriously affects the financial viability of water utilities through lost revenues and increased operational costs.

A World Bank study published in 2006, estimated that, globally, water utilities incurred losses in excess of USD 14 billion per year as a result of NRW.

Ways forward

Most utilities know it is more cost-effective and sustainable to increase the efficiency of their networks than the volume of water that enters them. The first port of call toward maximising efficiency is addressing physical leakage.

Leakage recovery is the best new water resource and technologies like noise loggers can help by quickly detecting leaks in the network.

However, prevention is the best cure, and leak detection is no replacement for rehabilitating and replacing ageing infrastructures. Pipe cleaning and relining, network replacement, service replacement, and valve and hydrant maintenance are all ways to keep water losses down.

But what about commercial losses?

Making sure that water meters are properly installed and maintained, and that they are accurately gathering and transferring data on water consumption, is essential if utilities are to close the gap between the water bill and actual usage. Tackling illegal consumption through mechanisms like routine inspections and prepay schemes is also crucial.

All these solutions, while necessary, are difficult and costly to implement and its hard for utilities to know where to start.

Thankfully, there are smart technologies available today don’t just alert utilities to the presence of a leak, but to those parts of the network that are most likely to fail in the future – saving time, finances and precious water supplies.

A smart approach

“The goal of water utilities around the world, independently of their regulatory framework or level of digitalisation, is to improve operational efficiency and reduce water losses,” said BuntPlanet CEO and co-founder Ainhoa Lete.

BuntPlanet is a Spanish company pioneering a smart approach to reducing NRW for utilities. Their software solution, BuntBrain, enables water utilities to detect and pre-locate leaks and other anomalies as soon as they appear.

BuntBrain receives real-time flow and consumption data information collected from IoT sensors in a utilities network, makes an analysis and identifies pipes with a greater probability of leakage. The solution also identifies water meters that should be checked or replaced if causing commercial losses.

“We are able to create a virtual ‘digital twin’ of a whole metering area,” Lete continues. “We use AI to optimise the number and location of the sensors, in order to achieve the greatest return on investment for water utilities.”

Through solutions like BuntBrain, utilities don’t have to be left in the dark waiting for the next leak to occur. They can proactively and accurately assess leakage risks and stay one step ahead.

“Some of our customers have been able to reduce their water losses levels by as much as 50%,” said Lete.

She concluded: “Water distribution networks are key components of our infrastructure and are essential to the security of our water supply. So identifying problems early, with the help of data analytics, should be high on the agenda of every government.”

Website: buntplanet.com

Dr. Tali Harif

374Water Director of Business Development for the UK/Europe

1. What inspired you to start your company?

From childhood, I was always troubled by news on the TV about droughts and lack of water, particularly in Africa. I imagine that all of us can vividly picture communities with no sanitation relying on contaminated water sources. After graduating with two degrees in Chemistry, I wanted to further my academic education in a more practical subject that would truly be impactful at scale and would help make the world a better place. Water was the obvious choice; I was accepted to a PhD program in environmental engineering and have never looked back. I’ve had the privilege to work in many market verticals and countries and experience first-hand how the use of technology and better water management practices can make a huge difference. My goal has always been to be able to look back at my career and feel that I accomplished something impactful. Working in water allows you to do that.

2. What challenge is your technology addressing in the water sector?

374Water is working to shift the waste management paradigm. Wastewater and waste are looked upon as a disposable endproduct, not a resource that could actually provide immense value. In addition, conventional disposal routes can be a source of pollution. Examples are seepage at landfills, hazardous emissions from incinerators, infiltration of carcinogenic micropollutants, such as PFAS, into the soil and water sources from land application of municipal sludge. This creates a perpetual cycle of environmental pollution that should be unacceptable today, with environmental sustainability high on global agendas. Conventional methods simply don’t cut it anymore, they cannot meet the changing regulatory landscape, and therefore deeply rooted practices must change. Our technology uses a novel approach to super critical water oxidization (SCWO) to solve these issues by offering a highly effective waste and wastewater stream elimination technology and enabling valuable resource recovery. We eliminate sludge and hazardous compounds very effectively, generate reusable effluent streams, and recover energy that is used to power the systems. A true end-to-end green technology.

3. What are your goals for your company?

Depletion of water sources remains a pivotal and alarming global problem, with an estimated 4 billion people currently suffering from some degree of water scarcity. To be brutally honest, I believe the pace of change within the industry has been painstakingly slow – not much has happened in the sector over the past 20 years that I could mark as truly ‘gamechanging,’ both in terms of mindset and implementation of new technologies. Movement is incremental and not fast enough. That said, key advancements have occurred in digitisation and use of the “Internet of Things” (IoT), utilizing smart sensors and algorithms to monitor assets more effectively and gather real-time data that supports asset maintenance and operations. Use of IoT for leakage detection in the drinking water supply network is effective and has gained momentum. With the digital revolution, use of ‘smart data’ is almost expected, however if we look at water and wastewater treatment technologies, advancements are minimal.

4. What steps are you taking to encourage women’s growth within your organisation?

At 374Water we embrace gender equality and diversity. Our belief is that a diverse workforce is a ‘must have’ rather than a ‘nice to have.’ It is well documented that diversity drives innovation and achieving it is core to our business activities and, ultimately, success. We apply measures both in our recruitment campaigns and in our company policies to ensure women receive equal opportunity and are able to grow with the organisation. A few examples: We target women in all recruitment campaigns, including senior roles, using dedicated networks, we apply an equal pay policy based on expertise and experience, offer a fair parental leave policy, promote work-life balance, and embrace a transparent culture where everyone has a voice. That being said, we also recognise that we have challenges and appreciate that we must be more inventive sometimes to achieve our diversity goals across the organisation. This is an ongoing effort, supported by the executive team, of which I’m also a member.

5. What are your hopes for the future of women in technology?

It’s undeniable that women in technology roles are grossly under-represented. From a young age they are not provided with enough encouragement and information to choose a technology career. In addition, the lack of female role models in technology only reinforces the perception that a technology career isn’t for them. My hopes are that both utilities and water technology companies will take more of an active role. Together with schools, we must initiate programs to raise awareness and interest in young girls and support efforts to build the skills, enthusiasm and confidence that will help drive a change. Whilst large digital tech corporations have identified a need to future-proof their workforce, and initiated programs to do so, the water sector must work to be more forward thinking in that respect. As a typically reactive and male-dominated industry, there is still much work to do. We are doing our “little bit” to make a difference but it requires prioritisation, proactivity and focus.

Website: 374water.com

How the Responsible Flushing Association is working to improve America’s waterways and infrastructure

H2O Global News Publisher Abby Davey spoke to Responsible Flushing Alliance

President Lara M. Wyss, about how the alliance is raising awareness to lead to healthier homes and the future of gender equality in the organisation.

with a “Do Not Flush” symbol. The legislation calls for the launch of a comprehensive education and outreach program to be managed by personal care product manufacturers. The RFA is stepping in to lead in the consumer education component while also equipping manufacturers with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to remain compliant with labeling requirements.

What are the goals short term and long term goals for the RFA?

The Responsible Flushing Alliance envisions great strides of improvement in America’s waterways and infrastructure as a result of corrected flushing habits. We aim to bring together California consumers, wastewater facilities, legislators, and manufacturers to set the example for the rest of the nation on how proper flushing habits not only contribute to a happy, healthy home and community, but also help improve the environment and prevent costly infrastructure failures.

Tell us about the Responsible Flushing Alliance

The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a coalition of companies committed to advocating for and educating consumers about responsible, smart flushing habits that will reduce damage to our nation’s sewage systems. We formed just over a year ago, but are already garnering so much support from our industry and wastewater partners.

What inspired the creation of the Responsible Flushing Alliance?

When we raise awareness and educate consumers about proper flushing, we know that it will lead to healthier homes, a cleaner environment, and properly functioning sewer systems. Changes to flushing behaviors also free up consumer tax dollars and city resources that are currently being used to repair wastewater systems damaged by clogs. That’s partly why clear and prominent labeling of non-flushable items and the adoption of smart flushing habits are so essential. I also think we have a great opportunity to dispel misinformation about what should and should not be flushed which has led to confusion about all disposable hygiene products and spurred misguided policies.

What challenge is the RFA addressing in the water sector?

It’s estimated that hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year to clean up fatbergs from our nation’s 800,000 miles of sewer pipes. Since the pandemic started in 2020, there has been a 50% increase in sewer blockages. Further, according to data from the California State Water Resources Control Board Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Reduction Program, 73 percent of all sanitary sewer overflows in California are caused by tree roots, fats, oils and grease (“FOG”), as well as debris. To tackle this problem, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 818, which requires premoistened non-disposable wipes manufactured on or after July 1, 2022, to be labeled clearly You are the president of the RFA, what steps are you taking to encourage gender diversity and what are your hopes for the future for women in this sector?

The Responsible Flushing Alliance, an organization with a female president at the helm, acknowledges that poor flushing habits leads to unhealthy consequences that affect men and women alike. Our consumer education campaign is not solely focused on solving the problem for one demographic, but for everyone. For that reason, we work to ensure all our members and potential members embrace this diversity mindset to effectively empower women from all walks of life. Our messaging reflects that there is no gender requirement to be the primary decision makers in a family’s health and household. Instead, we believe that any gender can lead by example in their home and carry our #FlushSmart message to their family and friends.

My hope is that the Responsible Flushing Alliance serves as a leading example of what can happen when women are given influential roles in leadership. They become involved enough to enact real change that betters each home, neighborhood, municipality, and environment.

More information RFA can be found on: flushsmart.org