Openreach, a UK fiber internet provider, is using Lightsonic's Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology on its existing fiber optic cables to detect underground vibrations from water leaks. A pilot project with Affinity Water monitored over 650 km of pipes, using machine learning to pinpoint leak locations from the cable's light signals.
The three-month pilot detected and repaired over 100 leaks, preventing the loss of more than 2 million liters of water per day. The system provides constant monitoring and uses spare or in-service cables without disrupting broadband service, representing a potential dual-use for telecom infrastructure.
The main topics covered are: the leak detection technology (DAS), the pilot project and partnership, the results in water savings, and the non-interference with existing broadband operations.
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
This tech could let the infrastructure carrying your data save water, too.
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Openreach, the operator of the UK’s largest full-fiber network, has announced that it can detect water leaks near its fiber infrastructure by detecting nearby vibrations. According to the company, the BT Group subsidiary is using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), a technology developed by Lightsonic, a startup firm developing monitoring technologies using existing fiber infrastructure. DAS analyzes changes in the light beam traveling through a fiber optic cable caused by underground vibrations. It then uses machine learning to find the exact location of the disturbance and differentiate it from background noise and day-to-day traffic.
The infrastructure company said that it’s working with Affinity Water, a water utility provider that delivers drinking water to parts of London, eastern England, and southeast England, serving more than 3.8 million customers, to launch a pilot project in five locations. The tech gave Openreach and Affinity Water 24/7 monitoring capabilities on 650 km or more than 400 miles of water pipes in Walton-on-Thames, Hemel Hempstead, Luton, Chesham/Amersham, and Ware, instead of relying on specialized teams that can only work on a specific section of the water infrastructure at a time.
Affinity Water said that in three months of testing, it detected and repaired over 100 leaks, preventing the loss of over 2 million liters of potable water daily or more than 700 million liters annually — enough volume to supply more than 10,000 people. “The results of our pilot show that our new full fiber infrastructure can deliver value far beyond broadband — and could prove to be a real game changer in solving real-world challenges like water conservation,” says Openreach Director of Network Technology Trevor Linney. Lightsonic CEO Tommy Langnes also said, “Transforming the telecom fiber-optic network into a continuous sensing layer unlocks entirely new ways to monitor utilities. Detecting 2 megaliters per day shows what’s possible when fiber sensing solutions and existing infrastructure are combined at scale.”
Article continues belowAn Openreach spokesperson told The Register that DAS does not interfere with its operations as it only uses spare fiber cables for its detection capabilities, and that the company has enough capacity to run the system without affecting its customers. Furthermore, it’s also experimenting with using the technology on lines that carry live internet traffic, allowing them to be used for dual purposes. Lightsonic’s DAS box also easily attaches to the fiber infrastructure at the terminus of a fiber optic line, meaning it’s essentially a plug-and-play device. While Openreach hasn’t determined yet how much it will cost to deploy the system, it estimates that to be negligible since it will use pre-existing fiber optic cables.
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Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.
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