Water leakage in the US is a growing crisis, with 14 to 18 percent of water lost across North America’s supply system before it even reaches consumers. This significant loss of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) is putting immense financial pressure on utilities and increasing water costs for consumers. In certain communities, water losses reach an alarming 85%, underscoring the critical need to address utility infrastructure leaks.
This challenge is compounded by rising demand, increasingly strained resources, and aging water infrastructure, resulting in leakage becoming more frequent and severe.
From 2012 to 2018, water main breaks increased by 27%, with one happening every two minutes, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The American Water Works Association (AWWA) predicts that most of the nation’s drinking water pipes will need to be repaired or replaced by 2040.
These breaks cause more than just supply disruptions—they can tear up roads, damage property, and even contaminate water supplies. For example, residents in Baltimore recently faced a boil water advisory due to potential contamination from leaks, demonstrating the hidden dangers of an aging water system. Additionally, when leaks contaminate water or leave residents without clean drinking water, utility providers may face fines of $10,000’s per day under the Clean Water Act.
The hidden costs of water loss
Water leaks often go unnoticed until a major failure occurs, but their economic and environmental costs are enormous. The US loses up to 6 billion gallons of water each day—enough to fill 9,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
This amounted to a $7.6 billion loss in treated water in 2019, a figure that could more than double to $16.7 billion by 2039 without significant infrastructure investment.
The indirect costs are equally alarming, with the lack of access to reliable water costs the US economy an estimated $8.58 billion annually, affecting public health and increasing inefficiencies.
How FYLD can help
At FYLD, we view the issue of water leakage as an opportunity for transformation. Our AI-driven water operations platform helps utilities optimize their processes once leaks are identified, whether by sensors or personnel.
By streamlining communication, coordinating field teams, and enabling real-time visibility into operations, FYLD helps utilities reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW) and associated costs. Through AI-driven insights, FYLD provides a sustainable solution to improve efficiency and recover lost revenue, ensuring utilities can act swiftly and effectively when leaks are found.
Key FYLD features:
- Productivity boost: FYLD’s solutions deliver an >8% improvement in productivity, saving thousands of manager and fieldworker hours annually, leading to significant time and cost savings.
- Remote interventions: Plan and manage leak repairs remotely, reducing the need for physical site visits and cutting down on travel time and on-site management costs.
- Improved handover time: Streamline the handover process between teams to reduce leak runtime, speeding up repairs and enhancing operational efficiency.
- Enhanced reporting: Provide real-time visibility into job progress, ensuring compliance, preventing fines, and enabling proactive decision-making.
- Third-party compliance: Validate work from service partners to ensure standards are met, reduce errors, and guarantee correct commercial payments.
In the UK, FYLD has already demonstrated its effectiveness with leading water utility providers. At one company alone, FYLD reduced leak repair times by 40%, cutting leak runtime by 1.4 days and saving approximately 528,000 gallons of water daily—the near equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. FYLD achieved this at just 8% of the average cost.
FYLD ShowMe:
Beyond infrastructure improvements, utilities have another opportunity to boost efficiency and customer satisfaction through FYLD ShowMe. This tool allows customers to provide real-time visual evidence of water-related issues, enabling faster response times and improving the resolution of service disruptions or visible leaks on private properties. FYLD ShowMe empowers utilities to further enhance operational efficiency while ensuring better service delivery to customers.
Addressing the growing crisis
The $7.6 billion opportunity is there for utilities ready to act. As the US water infrastructure continues to age, the potential savings from reducing water loss and improving operational efficiency will only grow. With FYLD’s AI-powered platform, utilities can seize this opportunity, driving financial success and sustainability while ensuring the efficient use of water resources for years to come.
Interested in how FYLD can transform your water operations and cut leakages? Request a free demo today.
For a deeper dive into FYLD’s impact on water management, explore our case studies.
