Bengaluru: After years of grappling with severe summer water shortages, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to make the city’s water management more predictive, efficient and data-driven.
The move comes as Bengaluru continues to face mounting pressure on its water resources due to rapid urbanisation, growing demand and significant distribution losses.
AI to improve water management
BWSSB plans to use AI-powered tools to analyse water distribution patterns, detect leakages, forecast demand and optimise supply across the city.
Officials believe the technology will help shift water management from a reactive approach—responding only after shortages occur—to a predictive model capable of identifying potential issues before they escalate.
The initiative is also expected to improve infrastructure planning and enable more efficient use of Cauvery water supplied to the city.
Report highlights groundwater recharge from leakages
According to the Bengaluru Urban Water Balance Report, groundwater recharge from anthropogenic sources, particularly leakages from water supply pipelines, is estimated at around 331 million litres per day (MLD).
While the report notes that the figure is only an approximation, it highlights the significant quantity of treated water that may be escaping from the distribution network.
Since BWSSB spends substantial public funds to pump Cauvery water into Bengaluru, accurately identifying and reducing such losses has become a key priority.
Technology to support better planning
By combining AI with digital monitoring and data analytics, BWSSB aims to gain a clearer understanding of water flow across its network.
The technology is expected to help officials detect leak-prone areas, improve maintenance schedules, monitor groundwater recharge patterns and make better-informed decisions regarding future infrastructure investments.
Towards a smarter water network
Experts believe AI-driven water management can improve operational efficiency, reduce wastage and strengthen Bengaluru’s resilience against recurring summer shortages.
As the city continues to expand, BWSSB’s adoption of advanced technologies marks an important step towards building a smarter and more sustainable urban water supply system.