Arabic version: مدارس نيو ساوث ويلز تجرّب تقنية الذكاء الاصطناعي لرصد تسرّبات المياه

According to ABC News, the NSW government is trialling artificial intelligence technology to identify water leaks in schools, TAFEs, hospitals and public housing. The system analyses reports from smart water meters, detects potential leaks and sends alerts to agencies before losses become larger.

Jethro Laidlaw, who manages the government’s water efficiency programs, said the technology could save 2,700 megalitres of water each year. He said an average NSW school uses about 2 megalitres, or 2 million litres, annually, with smart-meter data indicating that about 20 per cent appears to be lost through leaks. Mr Laidlaw said he had seen a single toilet leak 7 million litres.

Leak information is being brought together in a portal designed to help site managers monitor multiple locations. Mr Laidlaw said managers responsible for dozens of schools can otherwise face separate logins for each site, making the task unworkable. A portal displaying leaks and alerts is expected to be ready for use by the middle of next year.

The technology was developed with teams from Griffith University and is funded by a $4 million investment through the NSW Water Efficiency Program. It is already being trialled by Tamworth Regional Council, Central Coast Council and Hunter Water, while work is under way to involve Sydney Water. Water Minister Rose Jackson said the technology could save water and taxpayer money, with potential for wider use in other sectors and homes as NSW prepares for drier summer conditions.