GWF-Microsoft AI Collaboration Unlocks Millions of Liters of Water Savings

Climate change is intensifying water scarcity globally, with projections indicating that by 2050, three out of four people worldwide could face drought impacts. Many regions are expected to experience rising temperatures, more frequent and prolonged droughts, and declining annual rainfall. Especially in the Global South water demand will surpass supply in the coming years. In South Africa, for example, the projected gap is almost 20% in 2030. These water scarcity challenges are exacerbated by non-revenue-water (NRW) losses, where 30 to 40% of treated drinking water is lost due to pipe leaks and other reasons. These issues are already affecting many cities where communities are experiencing water shortages on a regular basis.

In the context of this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos/Switzerland, GWF and Microsoft today proudly announce a collaboration, to implement GWF BALANCE an innovative AI water technology solution for reducing water losses in water distribution networks and enhancing water access in the community. This technology employs advanced data analytics and AI to assess leakage conditions within water distribution networks and determines optimal zone pressure to maximize water loss reduction while ensuring customer satisfaction and safety standards.

Benefits of the solution include a detailed overview of the current non-revenue-water volume and an immediate reduction of pressure-related leakage by approximately 35%. GWF’s approach combines a cutting-edge data platform with high-quality sensor technologies and a rich field experience. By reducing water losses and optimizing water networks, the solution also decreases the amount of energy used for treating and pumping water, thereby reducing costs and carbon emissions.

This solution offers a cost-effective approach to water conservation, as it can be implemented without replacing water pipes or installing other capital-intensive equipment. The GWF BALANCE approach has already demonstrated impressive results in cities in South Africa, Europe, the UK, and the US.

The implementation of GWF BALANCE technology is expected to reduce supply interruptions, extend water services, and generate long term savings for cities. These improvements could have a substantial impact on the daily lives of the country’s residents and enhance the resiliency and economic prosperity of cities.

This collaboration aligns with Microsoft’s goal to be water positive by 2030, which includes addressing global water challenges through innovative partnerships and supporting locally relevant projects that offer environmental and social co-benefits, particularly in the Global South.

This collaborative effort between GWF and Microsoft represents a step towards addressing water scarcity challenges in South Africa and other major cities facing water scarcity issues in the Global South. As cities worldwide grapple with similar challenges, this initiative will serve as a scalable model for effective water conservation and management strategies in urban areas facing increasing water stress.

The collaboration welcomes collective action from other corporations aiming to positively impact water access in local communities and cities in high-risk water basins. The collaboration will provide municipal utility operators with smart technology, inventive strategies, and long-term partnerships, to address water security issues and build greater resilience against growing climate change challenges.

Eliza Roberts, Water Lead at Microsoft, commented: “We are excited to partner with GWF to leverage AI to minimize water loss and increase water availability in water stressed regions.”

Florian Strasser, CEO at GWF, stated: “The collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity to scale our GWF BALANCE solution globally to positively impact water resiliency. We look forward to work with utilities and support their ongoing non-revenue-water optimizations with our fast to implement and high-impact approach.“

The project has benefited from strategic advice from James Rees of Noverram, a consultancy delivering innovative and impactful projects in the water and sustainability sectors. Additionally, LimnoTech, a water science and environmental engineering firm dedicated to advancing sustainable water access and stewardship will independently assess the volumetric water benefits of GWF BALANCE using the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) framework.