Openreach Uses Fiber Network to Detect Water Leaks in UK Trials

Why It Matters

Repurposing telecom fibre creates a low‑cost, high‑resolution utility‑monitoring layer, cutting water waste and opening new revenue streams for network operators.

Key Takeaways

• DAS turned 650 km fiber into leak sensors
• Pilot saved two megaliters of water daily
• Detected over 100 leaks in five locations
• System pinpoints leaks within metres, 24/7
• Scalable to gas, bridges, tunnels monitoring

Pulse Analysis

Water loss remains a critical challenge for England and Wales, with roughly three billion litres of treated water escaping the system each day. Traditional leak detection relies on manual inspections or costly acoustic equipment, often requiring roadworks that disrupt communities. By overlaying a sensing capability onto existing fiber‑optic cables, utilities can achieve continuous, real‑time monitoring without the need for additional infrastructure, aligning with sustainability goals and smart‑city initiatives.

Openreach’s pilot demonstrates how Distributed Acoustic Sensing transforms a broadband backbone into a dense array of acoustic sensors. The technology interprets minute variations in the light traveling through fibre, using machine‑learning models to differentiate leak‑induced vibrations from background noise. In just three months, the system surveyed 650 km of Affinity Water’s network, flagged more than 100 leak points and saved two million litres of water each day. The ability to locate a fault within a few metres enables repair crews to target interventions precisely, reducing excavation time, traffic disruption, and operational costs.

Beyond water, the same DAS platform holds promise for detecting gas leaks, monitoring structural integrity of bridges, tunnels, and other critical assets, and even supporting early‑warning systems for seismic activity. For telecom operators, this creates a new service offering that monetises dormant fibre capacity, while utilities gain a scalable, low‑maintenance tool for asset management. As municipalities pursue resilient, data‑driven infrastructure, fiber‑based sensing is poised to become a cornerstone of next‑generation utility monitoring.