By Paul Parr, Global Technical Director
Non-revenue water (NRW) remains one of the most pressing challenges facing utilities worldwide.
With ageing infrastructure and increasing pressure to conserve resources, water companies are constantly seeking more efficient ways to detect and address leaks. Enter FIDO Smart – the all-in-one NRW reduction system using AI that’s setting out to transform how the industry approaches this critical issue.
The Evolution of Leak Detection
Traditional leak detection has long relied on multiple proprietary tools, each with its own skill set, training, and maintenance requirements. First, there are fixed acoustic sensors that monitor pipeline networks for leaks. Some companies have gone as far as having an analyst conducting a manual listening to determine if an on-site leak investigation is warranted.
Then, there’s the kit the field technicians need to carry out leak investigations. Techs can have varying levels of access to mobile loggers, correlators, and ground microphones. End-to-end, it’s a system which can be costly and time-consuming and can prolong the time it takes to get from leak alert to repair dependent on the availability of equipment.
FIDO Smart changes everything by consolidating these functions into a single, powerful solution powered by artificial intelligence.
What Makes FIDO Smart Different?
FIDO Smart is a complete software-as-a-service (Saas) for non-revenue water which delivers AI results at every stage of the leak detection and location process – or any part of it – through a smartphone app.
At its heart is a compact versatile HD sensor that works in harmony with FIDO AI, a market-leading neural network trained exclusively on verified leak data. FIDO AI delivers consistently accurate leak detection from acoustic data analysis at speeds humans can only dream of, and can even determine the likely size of a leak.
Unlike conventional systems that can rely on manual analysis and need thresholds to limit the number of alerts they generate, FIDO Smart picks up every sound and vibration so that nothing is missed.
Then, using the same app and device, the system seamlessly guides teams from leak alert to repair validation. There’s no need for separate bulky equipment, no charging requirements, and no calibration. This streamlined approach dramatically reduces the cost, time and resources required to identify and address leaks.
Key Features That Set FIDO Smart Apart:
- Multi-functional sensors: Each FIDO sensor can be used for fixed network monitoring, as a mobile logger, correlator, ground microphone, and consumption monitor for unmetered properties.
- Zero maintenance: With the sensor’s long battery guarantee and no calibration requirements, FIDO Smart minimises operational overhead.
- AI-powered analysis: FIDO AI can detect the presence of leaks from the minutest sounds and vibrations in pipes in real-time, analysing thousands of data files in seconds without the limits of human hearing.
- Leak sizing capability: The system assesses likely leak size, allowing teams to prioritise repairs for maximum water loss reduction.
- Repair validation: After pipe repairs are completed, FIDO AI verifies success and checks for masked leaks that may have been obscured by the primary issue.
FIDO Smart is designed to give skilled technicians access to enhanced AI tools consistent AI results as part of their day-to-day decision-making. Its in-app GPT co-pilot, AskFIDO, helps guarantee users get the most out of the system. Data insights, auditable tracking and reports are available via a PC hub.
A Proven System Now Available to All
We’ve been using FIDO technology successfully with select water utilities for several years, refining our app and process based on real-world feedback and results from leakage technicians. Having demonstrated its effectiveness and listened to the needs of our clients, we’re now making this powerful system available to more organisations committed to tackling their own water leakage challenges.
Real Results That Speak Volumes
FIDO technology has already delivered impressive water savings for UK water utilities. Documented case studies show leakage reduction percentages ranging from 25% to 37% across major providers including Thames Water, Southern Water, Yorkshire Water, and others.
These numbers represent not just water conservation but potentially significant cost savings and operational efficiency improvements for utilities facing increasingly stringent regulatory requirements.
Flexible Deployment Options
Understanding that every utility has different needs, FIDO Smart offers various deployment configurations:
- Fixed network monitoring: The most cost-effective solution on the market combining our smart sensors, IoT telemetry add-ons, and accurate automated AI analysis, delivering daily points of interest ranked by leak size.
- Lift and Shift (Sweep) Using our App and your GIS, FIDO Smart provides the most efficient number of deployment positions to provide a full coverage of your chosen network taking into account pipe material. These positions are displayed on the App for the technician to then deploy the sensors overnight. Sensors are then uploaded the next day and using our AI analysis you are delivered points of interests ranked by leak size.
- In-field leak investigations: Complete systems for easy and cost-effective leak location and repair verification using the same multi-functional sensors to correlate leak position and conduct asset and ground sounding and provide all the points of evidence you need, not to mention our very own Consumption profiling.
Just sign up to the AI Saas app and buy the exact number of sensors you need. Or choose one of our pre-packed shipping options designed for solo workers, deployment techs or teams.
The FIDO Way: A Process Built on Experience
FIDO Smart works because it was designed by utility leak experts who know the traditional detection process inside out and have adapted it to work with AI.
We call this AI-optimised process ‘The FIDO Way’. It seamlessly integrates FIDO AI technology into familiar work processes, enabling utilities to maximise results without disrupting established workflows.
The process incorporates AI analysis at key points:
- Network monitoring phase to generate accurate points of interest, known as Waypoints
- On-site investigations supplying multiple points of evidence
- Post-repair validation to ensure issues are truly resolved
The Future of Water Conservation
Water loss through leakage is more than just an operational challenge – it’s a sustainability and resilience issue that impacts communities and environments worldwide. By dramatically reducing the cost and inefficiency of leak detection with no compromise on accuracy, FIDO Smart helps conserve our most precious resource whilst reducing operational costs and carbon footprints associated with water treatment and distribution.
As utilities face increasing pressure to reduce leakage percentages and improve network efficiency, advanced tools like FIDO Smart will become essential components in meeting these challenges. Equipping skilled operatives with cutting-edge AI technology with practical field applications represents the future of water network management.
Learn More
To discover how FIDO Smart can transform your utility’s leak detection capabilities, improve efficiency and contribute to your water conservation efforts at less cost, connect with our team of experts. Whether you’re looking for fixed network monitoring, in-field investigation or a complete solution for NRW reduction, FIDO Smart offers the versatility, accuracy, and efficiency that modern water utilities demand.
Water conservation is too important to rely on outdated methods. With FIDO Smart, the future of leak detection is here today.
