Solving Southeast Asia’s Water Challenges Through Decision Intelligence

Urban growth is also increasing water stress. By 2030, there will be an estimated 40% shortfall between water supply and demand in the Asia-Pacific region. However, innovative technologies are offering game-changing results – and new hope for solving once intractable problems.

“Understanding and tackling water management challenges in Southeast Asia is essential to safeguard the region’s sustainability and growth,” says Victor Lorente, Client Solutions Architect at Idrica, a Xylem partner. “But proven technologies and innovation are giving water utilities, municipalities and commercial users of water powerful tools to address even the toughest water challenges.”

“In an area with a burgeoning economy, technology becomes a lever for change to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation services for all,” adds Martin Shaw, Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Solution Architect at Xylem, based in Malaysia.

Here’s a look at three water challenges facing Southeast Asia, along with digital solutions being used elsewhere around the world that could hold the key to helping the region address its water threats:

Water challenge #1 – Water scarcity

The availability of freshwater in Southeast Asia is limited and unevenly distributed. Areas across the region – in particular cities – face water shortages, especially during periods of severe weather and drought. According to Lorente, one of the main challenges facing the region lies in "how to optimize the management of this scarce resource throughout the entire water cycle, from catchment to potential reuse."

Digital solution: In Mexico, the state of Nuevo León has faced severe drought conditions in recent years. Servicios de Agua y Drenaje de Monterrey, I.P.D. (SADM), which serves a metropolitan area of 5.3 million people, was looking for proven innovation to help it better address water scarcity challenges and improve efficiency. The water utility implemented an industry-leading solution offered by Xylem in partnership with Idrica, an international pioneer in water data management, analytics and smart water solutions.

Xylem Vue powered by GoAigua with Leak Detection and Unified Network Management solutions empowers utilities by enabling them to conduct smart monitoring and management of water pressure, flow and consumption. The platform also helps the utility identify potential anomalies that point to visible and hidden leaks.

The result: SADM has realized overall water savings of 17% – and up to 37% in certain key sections of pipeline – and significantly increased its operational efficiency and management.

SADM was recently honored with the Innovation Water Circularity Award 2024, presented at WEX Global, an international event that promotes the exchange of knowledge and best practices among leaders in the water and energy sectors.

Water challenge #2 – Risk management (emergency management and pollution)

During the rainy season, Southeast Asia contends with severe floods that affect millions of people and cause extensive property damage due to inadequate infrastructure and flood management systems. Pollution from the rapid pace of industrial and urban development compounds this issue. This combination of challenges has caused many local waterways to be contaminated by chemicals, industrial waste and untreated sewage, affecting water quality, public health and local ecosystems. A report from the Asian Development Bank found that 80% of rivers in Asia are in poor health.

Digital solution: In Calpe, Spain, water utility Aguas de Calpe needed to improve its risk management system due to frequent storm events and flooding, as well as high demand for water during the summer. The utility integrated Xylem Vue powered by GoAigua to tackle these issues and optimize water cycle management.

For its drinking water system, the utility harnessed the platform’s advanced consumption monitoring and leak detection capabilities. To improve risk management and resilience, Aguas de Calpe is also leveraging the platform’s Sewer Twin Ace application, which enables real-time prediction of urban flooding and storm events.

The result: Calpe has reduced non-revenue water by 35% and realized an 89% increase in overall distribution network performance. In addition, 26 early flood warnings were issued in one year, allowing the utility to take preventive measures, protect infrastructure and help ensure public safety.
The utility also became the first water utility in Europe to be certified under the UNE 178101-1 standard for Water Network Management in the Smart Cities environment.

Water challenge #3 – Sustainability

Climate change impacts are an escalating challenge for Southeast Asia. Rising temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as droughts and floods are significantly affecting water availability. In addition, the economic development experienced by Southeast Asia in the last ten years has increased demand for water, and the energy it takes to treat and transport it, which in turn exacerbates water scarcity and increases greenhouse gas emissions.

Digital solution: Digital technologies are helping water utilities around the world meet their communities’ water needs – while also promoting sustainability. One example is the groundbreaking Hadfield Smart Water Network project in Sheffield, UK, a collaboration between Yorkshire Water, Stantec, Xylem and Idrica.

Yorkshire Water was looking to reduce water leakage and optimize its operations and maintenance at the Sheffield location. The team implemented the Xylem Vue powered by GoAigua integrated software and analytics platform, which enables the utility to standardize and integrate data from multiple smart sensors and systems regardless of manufacturer, and make the data accessible in a single solution. By harnessing the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence, Yorkshire Water optimized the management of its water network, from monitoring water losses to community engagement and customer service and beyond.

The project achieved a 57% reduction in visible leaks, which helped to decrease repairs and maintenance. In addition, associated CO2 emissions were cut by 41%, which reduced the utility’s impact on the environment and advanced its sustainability aims.