Bridging the %E2%82%AC6.5 Trillion Water Infrastructure Gap A Playbook 2025

0%20%40%60%80%100% Middle East1North America2China3Europe4Latin America544%89% 21%82% 33% 17%73% 11% 8% Water Electricity% of metered connections99% CASE STUDY 11 Siemens – Integrated water management for a transmission authority in the Middle East A Middle Eastern water transmission authority faced inefficiencies from numerous pumping stations operating under disparate automation systems. Siemens implemented an integrated water management system featuring advanced SCADA with a standardization library to harmonize automation, unified data and analytics for decision support, AI-driven leak detection, real-time optimization and cybersecurity. Supported by a €10 million public investment, the system makes it possible to centralize operation and maintenance complemented with advanced technology for predictive maintenance, early fault detection and continuous performance improvement. It has enabled over 98% asset availability and 99.99% service system availability. Implementation of Siemens’ real-time optimization software suite (SIWA) at various utilities globally has shown the potential to reduce workflow time by up to 85% and leakages by 50%. This improves efficiency and reliability, demonstrating how digital integration can transform water management. CASE STUDY 12 Xylem – Robotics and smart monitoring for water network resilience in the UK In the UK, ageing and hard-to-access infrastructure, along with rigorous water quality monitoring requirements, presents major operational challenges for utilities. To address these, Xylem has supported utilities in adopting remote-operated inspection tools and smart monitoring systems that improve efficiency and safety while reducing costs. Scottish Water, for example, used Xylem’s SmartBall and PipeDiver technologies to inspect the vulnerable Newmore raw water transmission main without excavation. These trenchless, unmanned tools collected detailed condition data that enabled precise, targeted repairs costing under £1.6 million, avoiding an estimated £16 million full pipeline replacement. In parallel, Xylem’s EXO multiparameter sensors have empowered utilities to continuously monitor water quality remotely. By distinguishing between causes of sudden water quality changes such as rainfall events or sewage overflows, operators can respond quickly and confidently without putting personnel in hazardous environments.Water operations’ digitization remains low. In Europe and North America, smart water meter penetration is only 17% and 21%,29 compared to 73% and 82% for smart electricity meters. Traditional reactive maintenance models generate high inefficiencies, service interruptions and unforeseen costs, besides being more prone to cyberattacks. Smart technologies transform this paradigm by using data and AI-enabled analytics, real-time monitoring through sensors and IoT, and automated dispatch systems to anticipate asset failures before they occur. Applied to both networks and plants, predictive models draw on real-time and historical data to detect stress, material corrosion or anomalies and to deploy resources precisely where and when they are needed. Utilities that deploy these systems typically report annual savings of 10-20% in opex and 20- 30% in capex.30 Water infrastructure often exists in confined, remote or hazardous locations, making inspections and maintenance risky and costly. Robotic systems – autonomous or semi-autonomous aerial, ground and underwater devices – can conduct precise inspections, detect faults and perform minor repairs in pipes, tanks and treatment facilities. These solutions can cut the time spent by human workers on hazardous tasks by up to 70%, while improving inspection accuracy by over 50%.31 Trenchless or no-dig repair technologies further enhance these capabilities by enabling pipe rehabilitation and leakage reduction without disruptive excavation, cutting maintenance costs by up to 20-65% compared with traditional open- cut replacement, depending on pipe size.32 Deploy smart technologies Scale water-tech solutions Bridging the €6.5 Trillion Water Infrastructure Gap: A Playbook 25