Bengaluru, Jun 1 (PTI)

In a major push towards technology-driven water management, the BWSSB is set to explore the use of AI, predictive analytics, and robotic inspection technologies to detect water theft, reduce leakages, and improve operational efficiency across Bengaluru's water distribution network, officials said on Monday.

As part of the initiative, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has agreed to facilitate a joint pilot study by two emerging startups -- SmartTerra and Solinas -- aimed at identifying sources of Unaccounted-for Water (UFW) and reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW) losses in the city, they said.

"The project has been selected under the Titan Design Impact Awards 2.0 -- Deep Impact Phase and will be funded entirely through a grant from Titan Company Limited. The initiative is being supported by Villgro as the incubation partner and WELL Labs as the technical partner," BWSSB said in a statement.

Notably, the year-long study will be implemented at zero cost to BWSSB, with the utility only providing support for essential civil works such as excavation, pipe repairs, and replacement wherever required, it said.

According to BWSSB, the pilot will leverage a combination of advanced technologies to improve network intelligence and asset management.

Smart Terra will deploy AI-driven predictive analytics to identify vulnerable pipeline segments and assess potential leakage risks before failures occur, it said.

The startup will also use acoustic sensing technology to accurately pinpoint underground leak locations without extensive excavation, officials said.

Meanwhile, Solinas will undertake robotic inspection of water pipelines, deploying specialised robots inside distribution networks to detect structural defects, blockages, and hidden leakages that are otherwise difficult to identify through conventional methods, they said.

The technologies are expected to help BWSSB continuously monitor water distribution patterns, assess demand, detect losses, improve billing efficiency, and strengthen revenue collection mechanisms, officials said.

Speaking on the initiative, BWSSB Chairman V Ram Prasath Manohar said the Board is committed to creating opportunities for innovative startups to validate and scale solutions that can address real-world urban water challenges.

"We are opening our infrastructure as a 'test bed' for startups developing cutting-edge solutions for urban water management. Data-driven scientific approaches and digital workflows have the potential to significantly transform how cities manage water resources," he said.

Manohar added that priority zones for the pilot study will be identified shortly, following which field surveys and technology deployment will commence.

"Our primary objective is to reduce financial losses caused by water leakages and theft, while also preventing contamination arising from defects in the distribution network. If successful, these technologies could become an important component of Bengaluru's future water management strategy," he said.