Combating Water Loss: The Role Of Data In Tackling Non-Revenue Water

By Sheila Kee, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Water Outcomes, Itron

Each year, an estimated 30% of the world’s treated water is lost before it reaches end consumers due to leaks, theft and aging infrastructure. This poses a significant challenge for utilities across the globe. According to the World Health Organization, water scarcity already affects 40% of the global population, intensifying the need to better safeguard this vital resource.

Non-revenue water (NRW) refers to treated drinking water that is lost or unaccounted for before reaching the end user. These losses can stem from leaks, inaccurate metering, theft or unauthorized consumption. While addressing NRW is no small task, technologies like advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), remote monitoring and advanced analytics are enabling utilities to detect abnormal usage patterns in near real time and respond with informed, proactive action.

NRW falls into two primary categories: real losses and apparent losses. Real losses refer to physical leaks, bursts or infrastructure failures within the distribution system, while apparent losses stem from meter inaccuracies, billing errors and unauthorized or illegal usage. Effectively managing both is essential to conserving water and improving operational efficiency.