In this interview at AWWA ACE26, Vice President of Content Strategy for the water and energy groups Bob Crossen and Xylem Global Product Manager Eric Toffin discuss the launch of the SmartBall X, an advanced inline inspection tool designed to help utilities proactively manage critical pipeline infrastructure. Toffin explains how the technology travels through pressurized pipelines while they remain in service, collecting data on leaks, gas pockets and pressure anomalies while also mapping the precise location of buried pipelines. This capability helps utilities reduce non-revenue water, improve asset management and minimize disruption during repair efforts. 

The conversation explores how SmartBall X works in the field, from insertion through existing access points to data collection and downstream retrieval. Toffin highlights the role of artificial intelligence in accelerating data processing, allowing utilities to receive leak detection results the same day and pipeline alignment maps shortly afterward. 

Toffin also discusses applications beyond drinking water systems, including wastewater force mains where identifying gas pockets can help prevent corrosion and extend asset life. The interview concludes with a look at how updated sensors, integrated mapping capabilities and faster analytics enable utilities to shift from reactive maintenance to proactive infrastructure management, helping operators do more with limited budgets while making more informed investment decisions. 

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:39 – What SmartBall X is and the infrastructure challenges it addresses

01:30 – How the technology works inside active pipelines

02:06 – Data utilities receive, including leak locations and pipeline mapping

03:01 – Applications in drinking water, wastewater and other pressurized systems

03:42 – What's new in the SmartBall X platform and utility feedback

04:22 – How proactive asset management helps utilities do more with less

05:19 – Housekeeping