Fiber internet provider says it can detect leaking water pipes using existing infrastructure, prevented loss of 2 million liters a day over three months — Lightsonic tech detects underground vibrations, machine learning isolates the source

Openreach, the UK's largest full-fiber network operator, has developed a technology in collaboration with Lightsonic that can detect water leaks near its fiber infrastructure by analyzing vibrations. This technology, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), uses machine learning to pinpoint the exact location of leaks and differentiate them from background noise. Openreach and Affinity Water have conducted a successful pilot project in five locations, detecting and repairing over 100 leaks and preventing the loss of 2 million liters of water daily. The system, which utilizes existing fiber optic cables, has the potential to revolutionize utilities monitoring and conservation efforts.