LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION

1. Modernizing Water Distribution Systems With Advanced Metering Infrastructure 7/17/2026

   The use of smart water meter systems or AMI has emerged as the vital element in a water network upgrade program, using two-way communications to relay near-real-time information on water usage, pressure variations, leak events, and usage patterns between smart meters and the utility.

2. Why Smart Valves Are About To Redefine Water Infrastructure 7/10/2026
   For years, water metering followed a predictable path: manual reads, AMR, AMI, more visibility, more data. But utilities are now entering a different operational reality. Visibility alone no longer protects infrastructure.
3. AMI Adoption In Water Is Still Structurally Constrained 6/12/2026
   Over the last two decades, utilities have increasingly viewed the transition from automated meter reading (AMR) to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) as the next step in modernizing their operations. The benefits of moving toward a truly digital ecosystem are well-established, yet AMI continues to face a slow, asymmetric rollout in the water industry.
4. AMI's Next Phase: Turning Meter Data Into Operational Value 6/9/2026
   A recent series of workshops convened by The Water Research Foundation (WRF) underscores how utilities are beginning to use AMI data to support conservation, improve system performance, and move toward more proactive operations. The takeaway is straightforward: most utilities now have the data; the challenge is putting it to work.
5. Breaking Point: How Utilities Can Get Ahead Of The Water Main Crisis 6/4/2026
   The water and wastewater industry is currently grappling with a significant aging pipeline infrastructure crisis, a challenge that requires a shift from reactive repairs to proactive, data-driven management. In a recent Water Online webinar, industry experts Christine Ballard (CDM Smith), Greg Baird (Black & Veatch), and Andrew Beck (Garney) outlined a practical framework for addressing infrastructure repairs in ways that are fundable and executable.
6. Getting Practical About Non-Revenue Water 5/29/2026
   Problems faced by water utilities seem to grow in both quantity and complexity each year. Among the most persistent challenges is non-revenue water (NRW). In a recent Water Online Live event, industry experts gathered to discuss this multifaceted challenge.
7. Turning AMI Data Into Better Customer Service 5/18/2026

   For decades, the relationship between a water utility and its customers was simple. As water flows, the bills go out, and sometimes complaints come back. Customers had little visibility into how much water they were actually using on a day-to-day basis, and utilities had limited tools to give them any. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has long since changed that equation. 

8. Do Water Meters Still Need External Transmitters? 5/1/2026
   Expectations for transparency and reliability in water-metering infrastructure have risen. As a result, a fundamental question is emerging across the industry: if modern ultrasonic meters are already smart, why are we still adding intelligence outside the meter?
9. Common AMI Implementation Mistakes And How To Avoid Them 4/23/2026

   The journey from manual water-meter reads to a fully integrated digital ecosystem is long and complex. To help utilities along, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) released the global Smart Metering Playbook, which includes both implementation best practices and common pitfalls. Here are five common advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout mistakes from the Playbook, along with examples of how to overcome them.

10. Critical Infrastructure Fails The Way It's Funded 3/17/2026
    Our infrastructure systems have operated in managed deterioration for decades. And not surprisingly, once they deteriorate badly enough and cross over into active failure, all cost discipline disappears.