West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) is now employing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its water distribution system by swiftly and efficiently identifying potential leaks. The AI technology in use, known as Infrawise, is developed by AGS (Administração e Gestão de Sistemas de Salubridade), a Portugal-based company wholly owned by Marubeni Corporation. Infrawise is an advanced decision-making software that analyzes and pinpoints critical areas in the pipe network, guiding Maynilad's leak detection and pipe replacement activities.
Maynilad began testing this AI technology in October 2023 over a 1,700-kilometer stretch of water pipelines. The pilot run enabled the AI software to map out vulnerabilities over 750 kilometers of these pipelines, successfully identifying 1,525 leaks. As a result of this pilot, Maynilad has decided to extend Infrawise’s monitoring coverage to an additional 1,500 kilometers of pipelines.
"Through this advanced AI technology, we can proactively identify and address potential leaks in our water distribution system. This not only enables us to respond more swiftly and efficiently to pipe network issues, it also significantly enhances our ability to conserve water resources and improve service reliability for our customers," stated Maynilad Chief Operations Officer Randolph T. Estrellado.
In addition to Infrawise, Maynilad is also leveraging AI technology to detect underground pipe leaks. For this initiative, Maynilad partnered with Asterra, a satellite-based infrastructure intelligence company. Asterra's patented algorithms track the spectral "signature" of potable water underground as captured in satellite images. The AI-generated leakage information is then compiled into a Geographic Information System report, specifying street locations and expediting the detection and repair of underground leaks.
The integration of AI into Maynilad's operations is motivated by the need to maintain efficiency and accelerate the reduction of water losses. The company is actively exploring other advanced technological solutions to enhance its existing leak detection equipment and capabilities.
