By Ronald Kirjner
The U.S. loses 6 billion gallons of treated water every single day. That’s 2.1 trillion gallons a year — enough to fill more than 9,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools — lost primarily to leaky pipes and aging infrastructure. Traditional methods of managing water loss can no longer keep pace with today’s growing operational complexities.
This article explores how utilities can take an intelligence-driven approach to managing water operations using real-time data, advanced analytics and unified data ecosystems to minimize water loss, extend asset life and improve service reliability.
A Growing Challenge and a Greater Need for Insight
Water utilities sit at the crossroads of aging infrastructure, increasing demand and intensifying climate pressures. Many of the pipes running beneath our cities were installed decades ago — some more than a century — and are well beyond their intended life. According to the America Society of Civil Engineers’ 2025 Infrastructure Report Card, in the U.S. and Canada alone, it is estimated that more than 450,000 miles of water mains have exceeded their expected lifespan, contributing to frequent leaks, pressure inconsistencies and pipe failures. The same report shows that utilities contend with roughly 240,000 water main breaks per year, resulting in approximately $2.6 billion in repair and maintenance costs.
One of the biggest challenges that utilities face is data fragmentation. Over the years, utilities have adopted a mix of legacy systems, proprietary technologies and newer digital solutions — each producing valuable data but usually unable to communicate with one another. This lack of interoperability results in siloed information, forcing operators to make critical decisions with only a partial view of their network.
For example, a utility might know that pressure fluctuations are causing frequent bursts in one zone, but without data from asset management systems, they can’t determine whether aging pipes or pump settings are to blame. Similarly, customer operations teams can’t correlate data from field complaints about low pressure or high bills to usage patterns or sensor alerts, leaving them guessing at root causes.
This disconnection makes it harder to gain visibility into system performance, detect and prevent issues early or respond quickly when problems arise. Without a complete view of their network, utilities often operate reactively, addressing problems after damage is done rather than preventing them altogether.
A Smarter Way Forward: Intelligence Across the Network
To address these challenges, utilities must adopt a holistic, intelligence-driven approach that treats data as a strategic asset and captures analytics at every level of the network. At the core of this strategy are three pillars:
1. Real-Time Data for Greater Visibility
Granular, real-time data gives utilities a clearer picture of how their systems are performing, helping them identify leaks early, monitor consumption and reduce water loss. Smart meters and distributed sensors can capture data at the source, while advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and cellular-enabled endpoints allow for high-frequency data transmission to central systems. The more often data is collected, the faster utilities can respond.
2. Advanced Analytics for Predictive Maintenance
AI and machine learning can go beyond detection to prediction. By analyzing historical and current data, these technologies can help utilities forecast where and when infrastructure is likely to fail. This predictive maintenance approach allows operators to prioritize the riskiest assets, schedule repairs before a failure and avoid the high costs of emergency response.
3. Unified Data Systems for Operational Efficiency
Consolidating data from smart meters, sensors, GIS and SCADA systems into a single platform gives operators a complete, real-time view of their water network. This integration empowers cross-functional teams to collaborate more effectively, automates compliance reporting and streamlines decision-making across departments. A utility with this visibility can balance pressure across zones, detect tampering, optimize distribution and enhance customer service all from one dashboard.
Actionable Steps for Utilities
Transitioning to intelligence-driven operations doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Many utilities already have the foundational technology; they just need to integrate and optimize it. Here’s how to get started:
- Evaluate existing systems and data gaps: Map out where data is being collected, how it’s stored and where visibility is lacking. This assessment will reveal gaps and opportunities to integrate existing systems.
- Prioritize interoperability: Invest in technologies that integrate easily with your existing platforms, such as a unified data collection and management platform that brings together inputs across all your devices and technologies, so you can view in real-time how separate systems are operating. This future-proofs investments and allows data to flow freely between systems and teams.
- Pilot targeted initiatives: Begin with a focused program, like predictive maintenance for pump stations or pressure optimization in a high-risk zone, to demonstrate return on investment and build internal support for broader transformation.
- Empower your workforce: Provide training to ensure staff can interpret data, adjust operations and troubleshoot issues using new tools. Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making across departments.
A More Resilient and Sustainable Approach to Water Management
Utilities that harness real-time data, advanced analytics and unified platforms can reduce non-revenue water, lower operating costs and extend the life of aging infrastructure. They gain faster response times, more accurate insights and the ability to plan proactively rather than reactively.
At a time when every drop counts, this intelligence-driven approach empowers utilities to make smarter use of limited resources. By integrating intelligence throughout their operations, they not only boost performance today but lay the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable future.
Ronald Kirjner is a senior product marketing leader at Itron, where he specializes in smart water metering technologies and drives go-to-market strategies. With more than 15 years of experience in IT and digital solutions, he brings a strong technical foundation to his work in advancing innovative, data-driven water technologies.
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