The Digital Hunt for America’s Hidden Water Leaks

Autodesk's InfoWater Pro 2026 embeds leak tracking into ArcGIS, pushing utilities toward smarter, faster digital twin adoption.

8 Apr 2025

America's aging water systems just gained a powerful new ally. Autodesk Water has launched InfoWater Pro 2026, a major upgrade that weaves leak detection directly into Esri's ArcGIS Pro, giving utilities the ability to spot broken pipes in minutes instead of days.

The software marks the first big payoff from Autodesk's $1 billion purchase of Innovyze in 2021 and signals a deeper push into real-time water intelligence. With the update, engineers can now map both pressure-driven and fixed leaks on the same digital models they already use to manage their networks.

"You can now spot and size leaks right where they occur, on pipes and junctions, without reworking your entire model," said Trevor English, product lead at Autodesk Water, in a company blog post.

The timing is striking. Earlier this year, federal regulators rolled out tough new rules requiring gas pipelines to boost leak detection, a move many see as a preview of future water mandates. "These rules push detection into the field, fast, mobile, and continuous," said Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Analysts believe the integration could speed the long-promised rise of "digital twins," living virtual replicas of utility networks. By embedding leak detection into familiar workflows, utilities can bypass steep learning curves and quickly generate reports for federal funding. The ArcGIS tie-in also lets cities coordinate pipe repairs with road projects and community investments, making infrastructure budgets work harder.

Not every utility can take full advantage, particularly smaller systems without district flow sensors. But the stakes are enormous. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the United States loses nearly a third of its treated water each year, roughly $7 billion worth that never reaches customers. Even modest gains could pay for themselves.

InfoWater Pro 2026 is more than a software release. It is a signal that digital tracking of leaks is shifting from experiment to expectation. As droughts worsen and public scrutiny grows, utilities may soon find that ignoring hidden losses is no longer an option.