Graz startup says leak detection could halve water losses

A Graz startup says its leak-detection system could conservatively cut water suppliers’ losses by about half, ORF Steiermark reports. The company, Indigo Water, has successfully tested the system with water utilities in China and Europe, and projects are now under way with suppliers in Styria.

Up to 35 percent of drinking water worldwide is lost through leaks in water supply networks. The average loss in the European Union is 25 percent, according to Indigo Water founder and managing director David Steffelbauer.

The system creates a computer model of a drinking-water network, including how water flows and where pressure drops occur. It compares the model with existing data from suppliers, such as flow and pressure measurements, when available.

Indigo Water says the data can reveal whether a leak has occurred, how much water it is losing and where it is located. Steffelbauer said the potential savings depend on the supplier’s starting point: networks with more significant losses may have more room for improvement.