Trans-Atlantic Collaboration To Reduce Water Loss In Phoenix, Arizona

• Phoenix project unites major European and US organizations to reduce water loss
• Population growth and climate factors have placed considerable stress on region’s water supply
• 10-year project to drive down water losses using actionable AI over 350km of water network

A new global collaboration is being deployed across the Phoenix metropolitan area to reduce water network losses through the power of actionable artificial intelligence (AI).

Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company and leader in innovative infrastructure solutions, will deliver leak detection and broader non-revenue water (NRW) water management and conservation solutions through its recently announced strategic partnership with UK-based AI and technology solutions provider, FIDO Tech.

The 10-year project will cover 350km of the water pipeline network operated by EPCOR, the largest private utility in Arizona.

Financed by Microsoft, the project will help the organization to make progress against its water replenishment goal, part of its overarching water-positive commitment.

Phoenix, located in one of the driest regions in the United States, has long struggled with water scarcity, making it imperative for local stakeholders to proactively seek innovative solutions. The city’s rapid population growth, coupled with unpredictable weather patterns, has placed considerable stress on the area’s water supply. Recent reports have demonstrated an alarming reduction in groundwater levels and reservoir capacities, necessitating action.

The Phoenix development follows the first project between Microsoft and FIDO Tech currently being delivered in London with UK utility, Thames Water.

FIDO’s AI solutions can identify leaks and, most importantly, rank them by size, even in the noisiest networks, regardless of pipe material or condition. Detecting and fixing water losses positively impacts water availability with immediate impact across local watersheds in a quantifiable way.

In 2020 Microsoft pledged to be water positive by 2030. This commitment is made up of five key pillars: reducing water use intensity, replenishing water sources, providing people with access to water and sanitation services, advocating for effective water policy and driving innovation to scale water solutions.

Eliza Roberts, Water Lead at Microsoft, said: “As a part of our water-positive commitment, we are investing in innovative, scalable water solutions that help reduce global water withdrawals. We are excited to partner with FIDO on the next project, this time using AI-enabled acoustic analysis to reduce water lost to leakage in Arizona’s Colorado River Basin.”

Jason Jackson, President of Oldcastle Infrastructure, said: “We are excited to join forces with FIDO Tech, Microsoft, and EPCOR in this landmark project. Our shared vision is to create a more sustainable and water-secure future. By leveraging technology and our expertise in infrastructure solutions, we are confident that this partnership will have a positive, lasting impact on the community and environment.”

Victoria Edwards, Co-Founder & CEO of FIDO Tech, said: “Water scarcity is biting harder and harder across the US, especially across the seven states of the Colorado River Basin. By reducing water losses, it positively contributes to water availability at a state-wide level and helps to provide water security. We are honored to work with Microsoft, Oldcastle Infrastructure and EPCOR to deliver actionable AI to reduce water losses and play a part in ensuring water security.”

About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company, is the leading provider of infrastructure solutions to several North American market sectors, including Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation. For more information, visit www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com.

About CRH
CRH is the leading provider of building materials solutions that build, connect and improve our world. Employing c.75,800 people at c.3,160 operating locations in 29 countries, CRH has market leadership positions in both North America and in Europe. As the essential partner for road and critical utility infrastructure, commercial building projects and outdoor living solutions, CRH’s unique offering of materials, products and value-added services helps to deliver a more resilient and sustainable built environment. A Fortune 500 company, CRH is a constituent member of the FTSE 100 Index, the EURO STOXX 50 Index, the ISEQ 20 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) Europe. The company is ranked among sector leaders by Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating agencies. For more information, visit www.crh.com

About FIDO Tech
FIDO is a global technology company using deep-learning to find the water leaks that matter. Its AI is the only technology which uploads any files from any sensor device, analyses them instantly, ranks by size, to more than 92% accuracy. FIDO AI is the only data-as-a-service (DaaS) end-to-end leak detection solution which identifies leaks and the size of leaks to hit water losses hard. Now we can locate them exactly too. Our cutting-edge AI was trained on verified leak data to deliver instant super-accurate results on any water network. Nothing beats FIDO at finding the biggest leaks first time.