Water Wheel Nov/Dec 2023: Water Loss

Abstract

Study touts artificial intelligence for water loss tracking Although artificial intelligence (AI) has been an integral part of our everyday lives for some years now – influencing what we see on social media, streaming platforms, online shopping and internet searches, for example – perhaps nothing has brought home its practical applications as much as ChatGPT, launched in November 2022. Now the vast potential of AI is being more widely recognised, so it should come as no surprise that the technology has a role to play in reducing non-revenue water (NRW). Typically defined as the water provided by utilities – such as municipalities, water boards and other water service providers – but ‘lost’ before reaching the customer, NRW includes both real (physical) losses and apparent (commercial) losses. In other words, real losses are due to leakages from water distribution pipes and their connections, while apparent losses represent water for which no revenue is received because of illegal water consumption, deliberate non-payment and inaccurate metering.

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