A new satellite-based system that generates actionable data for water utilities has been developed by Utilis, headquartered in Israel. The MasterPlan product is touted as an evolution of the same technology used to detect leaks underground using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors.

Based on five years and thousands of validated leak location points of interest, the MasterPlan algorithm assesses the deficiency of an entire pipe system using multiple SAR images taken months apart. The trained algorithm scores pipe segments based on observed non-surfacing leaks and provides a single GIS dataset MasterPlan measures the pipe deficiency on an entire water network. Source: Utilisof pipes scored from one to five, denoting the level of deficiency observed, for input into any GIS system or utility asset planning model.

Utilis has scaled to apply its pioneering leak detection product to more than 400 projects worldwide and spanning more than 55 countries. Its analytics have verified 30,000 leaks enabling infrastructure and utilities firms to save more than 7,000 million gallons of water, 17,000 MWh of energy and 11,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year to date.

The approach harnesses a global network of satellites and is claimed to provide a far more productive system for detecting leaks than traditional methods, which rely heavily upon costly physical sensors or manual checks by engineers.