Data Turns Hidden Water Loss Into Action for U.S. Utilities

Data tools help utilities spot pipe risk, cut losses, and defend early investment before failures erupt

19 Jan 2026

US water utilities are beginning to treat leaking pipes less as an unavoidable cost and more as a financial risk that can be measured and managed, as new data tools reshape how infrastructure decisions are made.

Much of the country’s water network is decades old, and utilities lose large volumes of treated water each year through breaks and leaks. Until recently, many operators focused on responding after failures occurred. Now, advances in data analysis are allowing them to estimate where pipes are most likely to fail and what those failures would cost if left unaddressed.

The shift is pushing utilities toward preventive maintenance rather than emergency repairs. By comparing the cost of early intervention with the expense of disruptions, property damage, and lost water, operators can make more deliberate investment choices.

Oldcastle Infrastructure is among companies developing tools for this approach. It has expanded its CivilSense platform to link information on pipe condition, leakage rates, and financial impact. The aim is to turn losses that were once difficult to quantify into figures that can be weighed in capital budgets.

The change comes as pressure mounts across the US water sector. Many utilities face aging assets, limited funding, and closer scrutiny from regulators and customers. Federal funding programmes increasingly require evidence that spending today will reduce future risks and costs.

“Utilities are being asked to justify every dollar they spend,” said an industry consultant familiar with the market. “When you can show that a modest repair today prevents a far more expensive failure tomorrow, the conversation changes.”

Momentum increased in June 2025 when Oldcastle Infrastructure announced a commercial technology partnership with VODA.ai. According to company statements and industry reports, the agreement combines infrastructure expertise with data modelling designed to predict pipe failures and support long-term capital planning. While not a merger, the partnership reflects a wider trend toward targeted collaborations between utilities, contractors, and technology firms.

The effects extend beyond water operators. Contractors and software providers are seeing growing demand for planning tools that look years ahead, while communities stand to benefit from fewer service interruptions and more reliable supply.

Challenges remain. Smaller utilities often lack high-quality data or staff to deploy advanced systems, and predictive models cannot remove all uncertainty. Even so, the direction is clear. By making water loss visible and financially comparable, data-driven planning is changing how US water infrastructure is maintained and renewed.