Water utility taps fiber-optic network to detect leaks
Southern Water is deploying Lightsonic's leak detection technology that leverages Openreach's existing fiber infrastructure. The system uses fiber-optic sensing to monitor for water leaks across the network. This approach aims to reduce water loss and improve efficiency without building new dedicated sensor networks.
Southern Water has begun using Lightsonic's leak detection system, built on Openreach's fiber-optic cables already in the ground. The technology relies on fiber-optic sensing to identify water leaks throughout the utility's network, avoiding the need for separate, purpose-built sensor installations. This marks a practical crossover between telecommunications infrastructure and water management.
In the broader telecom landscape, fiber-optic sensing is gaining traction as a way to repurpose existing cable networks for environmental and utility monitoring. By piggybacking on infrastructure that already carries data, utilities can gain leak visibility at a fraction of the cost of deploying new hardware. The approach highlights how shared physical networks may increasingly serve multiple critical services.
This approach could reduce water loss and operational costs for utilities, potentially leading to more stable water pricing for households and businesses. By leveraging existing fiber networks, it may make advanced leak detection accessible to smaller water providers without heavy capital outlays. Society could benefit from fewer service disruptions and more efficient use of water resources. However, it also introduces shared dependencies between telecom and water infrastructure, which may warrant careful coordination.