AQS By Aliaxis And A2A Ciclo Idrico Win Prestigious Pioneer Award 2024 By Solar Impulse Foundation

Aliaxis SA, a world leader in fluid management solutions announces that AQS by Aliaxis, one of its subsidiaries and a leading player in leak management solutions, has won the 2024 Pioneer Award of the Solar Impulse Foundation in the Utilities category through its successful collaboration with client A2A Ciclo Idrico.

 The award, handed out by Swiss explorer and activist Betrand Piccard, acknowledges their efforts in water conservation within Italy’s Brescia region, utilizing advanced leak detection technologies developed by AQS by Aliaxis. These technologies have contributed to significant reductions in water loss and energy consumption, promoting more sustainable water management practices.

Enhancing water and energy efficiency 
The project, which began in 2019, was designed to assist A2A Ciclo Idrico—a subsidiary of A2A, one of Italy’s largest multi-utility companies—in reducing water losses by 40%. Supported by Pipecare, AQS by Aliaxis introduced acoustic leak detection systems into the Brescia water network.

Initially, 39 sensors were placed along 15 km of pipelines during a pilot phase, detecting 10 hidden leaks within the first week. This success led to an expansion of the system, which by 2022 was monitoring 92 km of pipeline and had identified over 170 leaks.

Impact and results 

• 1.4 million cubic meters of water, or around 560 Olympic swimming pools of water, saved annually, representing a financial value of approximately €560,000.
• Annual energy consumption was reduced by 1 million kWh, resulting in a decrease of greenhouse gas emissions by 504,000 kg.
• To date, the project has deployed 750 sensors, covering 266 km of pipeline and has detected around 260 leaks.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and the positive impact of our collaboration with A2A Ciclo Idrico and Pipecare,” said Sophie Desormiere, Aliaxis Chief Growth Officer. “This award recognizes the incredible work we’ve done together to make water networks more efficient and sustainable. By reducing water loss and energy consumption, we’ve shown how innovation challenges the status quo and turns environmental challenges into opportunities.” 

Tullio Montagnoli, CEO of A2A Ciclo Idrico: “A2A Ciclo Idrico is committed to reducing water loss and enhancing efficiency for more sustainable operations that align with European standards. By installing over 180 AQS by Aliaxis sensors across 50 km of Brescia’s historic center, we have saved 1.4 million cubic meters of treated water in just one year. This achievement equates to €560,000 in savings and a reduction of 500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. With AQS by Aliaxis technology, our continuous monitoring enables us to effectively address leaks in aging infrastructure and strengthen the resilience of our water network, making significant progress toward a more sustainable future.”

Nicola Ruggiero, CEO of Pipecare: “As AQS by Aliaxis and A2A Ciclo Idrico partner we have been challenged to drive innovation into leak monitoring and water saving management by integrating our services into customer operational process with daily interaction. The results speak for themselves: a visionary and committed customer, cutting-edge technology and Pipecare's experience are the right mix to overcome these challenges.”

About AQS by Aliaxis
AQS supports water utilities around the world to reduce their water loss through high-performance leak management solutions combined with superior tailor-made Human-as-a-Service (HaaS) offerings. AQS technologies empower water utilities to detect and prevent leaks, enabling proactive continuous monitoring and efficient management of water networks, to reduce NRW (Non-Revenue Water) and optimize resource allocation. Being at the forefront of acoustic monitoring and leak detection solutions for potable water preservation, AQS offers versatile solutions including above and below ground acoustic correlating sensors, for both distribution and large transmission lines, integrated with AQS-SYS cloud-based proprietary platform, which is powered by advanced algorithms and big data analytics, providing most advanced analysis tool and user-friendly interface in the market.

AQS is a company of Aliaxis Group. Present in 40+ countries, Aliaxis is a global leader in advanced fluid management solutions that enable access to water and energy.

For more information, visit https://aqs-systems.com 

About Aliaxis
At Aliaxis, we design sustainable, easy to install, and innovative solutions to address the world’s water challenges and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Thanks to our 14,000+ employees, our pipes and fitting systems meet our customers’ most demanding needs for the building, infrastructure, industrial and agriculture sectors. Operating in over 40 countries, the Company is active through leading local brands and generated €3.7B revenue in 2021.

For more information, visit www.aliaxis.com

About Pipecare
Pipecare is an Italian company focused on advanced solutions for the management of water infrastructure. As the exclusive partner in Italy for the world-leading AQS technology and the exclusive licensee of TALR technology, Pipecare specializes in leak detection, maintenance of distribution networks, and optimization of water resource management. Its main activities include: Leak Detection, Trenchless Repairs, Predictive Maintenance and Consulting Services.

For more information, visit https://www.pipecareitalia.com

About A2A Ciclo Idrico
A2A Ciclo Idrico is the company of the A2A Group dedicated to the integrated management of the water cycle. The company oversees all phases of water services, from sourcing and distributing drinking water to managing sewage networks and wastewater treatment. Its primary mission is to provide efficient, safe, and sustainable services, while actively contributing to the protection of water resources and the environment. Currently, A2A Ciclo Idrico manages the water supply system across 74 municipalities in the province of Brescia, including the capital city, serving a population of nearly 600,000 residents. Its water network spans over 3,600 kilometers, delivering more than 45 million cubic meters of water annually (2023). The company also runs more than 50 wastewater treatment plants and a sewage network extending over 2,300 kilometers in length.

A2A Ciclo Idrico is part of the A2A Group. Listed on the Italian stock exchange, with about 14,000 employees, the Group manages the generation, sale and distribution of energy and sale and distribution of gas, district heating, waste cycle, electric mobility and smart services for cities, public lighting, and integrated water service. Sustainability is at the heart of A2A's industrial strategy, and its Industrial Plan foresees investments of €22B to 2035 in projects aligned with the UN Agenda in order to promote the country's sustainable growth and make the energy transition and circular economy concrete realities.

For more information, visit www.a2acicloidrico.eu