Is "smart water" for me?

Water and wastewater systems of all sizes are facing similar challenges: the “silver tsunami” of retiring workers, increasing capital needs and growing regulatory needs. While there is no one solution to these challenges, one that has been gaining popularity is smart water.

Many smaller systems, of which there are thousands across the country, are deterred from even considering its use due to the cost, as they believe smart water systems are simply out of their reach. Yes, some of this technology can be expensive, but there are many affordable solutions for smaller and medium-sized systems; tools that can help even the smallest systems take advantage of the benefits they offer.

What smart water really means

Here’s what I think of when I hear the phrase smart water. It is the collection, analysis and use of the massive amounts of data inherent in the operation of a water system delivered in a usable manner to front-line employees responsible for day-to-day operations and maintenance. While much of the data collected has always existed, with the dramatic reduction in computing and information collection costs, it is now readily available and usable by systems of every size.

Monitoring tools include leak detection sensors, pressure monitors, flow meters and automated alerts, to name just a few.

With smart water systems, managers and crews can anticipate future issues and see which parts of the system are wearing out or costing more to maintain or fix. That means repairs can be made in anticipation of a problem before something breaks, instead of reacting after the fact.

These tools are becoming increasingly accessible through mobile devices, allowing maintenance to be tracked and managed directly from those who need it to do their job. This can save time and money in the field and wear and tear on employees. For example, a water utility in Arizona, through the data it collected and analyzed in its Event Management Software, was able to determine that a reported water leak was actually an overflow from a third-parties irrigation system. With this information, the utility simply called the owner and advised them of the problem instead of dispatching a crew in the middle of the night (when else are they dispatched!) to respond to a false alarm.

Helping to address industry challenges

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2025 Infrastructure Report Card reported that upgrading America’s drinking water infrastructure to a reliable working condition will require an estimated investment of more than $625 billion over the next 20 years. With the cost of rates increasingly being felt in the consumer's pocketbook and the major reduction in federal funding, how these capital needs are going to be met is an issue that weighs heavily on utility managers, regardless of the system's size.

Utilities are addressing their financial and operational pressures through smart water technologies. Smart water platforms can be used to identify trends to help systems get ahead of small problems before they become bigger and more expensive. For example, data can not only identify line segments in a water distribution system is in constant need of repair, but also whether it is more cost-effective to replace the entire segment rather than make frequent repairs.

With rising costs and limited resources, the payoff of smart water systems becomes even clearer. Water systems and their ratepayers win when monitoring anticipates needed maintenance before a costly failure occurs.

Affordable tools for all water systems

Smart water is not exclusive to large systems with bigger budgets. Much of the smart water technology is affordable for smaller utilities and not as difficult to implement as many might think.

Take Ziptility, for instance. This is a smart mapping technology and asset management platform specifically designed for small systems. It was designed to capture the information often housed on paper maps or a retiring employee’s memory, and make it available to front-line employees on their smartphones. For example, if a water main were to break, the repair team would be able to use their phone to access important information like pipe materials, its diameter and any other logistical details they need to know. They can also use this app to create work orders and associate them with a specific asset. What differentiates this smart tool from similar ones is its ease of use. Despite having many of the capabilities of much more expensive platforms, on this one an asset can be added in the field with the click of a button.

Smart water technology is within reach for just about any size water system, so they too can better utilize their dollars and help close any funding gap they may have. Now that these tools are available to systems of virtually any size, the question is, will you use them to make the most of every ratepayer’s dollar and every minute of your employees’ time?