Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water, and VODA.ai, which helps utilities by performing AI-based analyses, are collaborating to simplify how water utilities identify and predict which pipe assets need to be replaced, rehabilitated or contain lead. Through this collaboration, Itron will introduce Pipe Asset Management, a solution that helps utilities reduce costs associated with pipe replacement decisions. The solution combines detailed meter data from Itron’s end-to-end water portfolio with data the utility is already collecting and is powered by daVinci™, VODA.ai’s industry-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine.
Approximately 20%, or 452,000 miles, of water pipes in the U.S. and Canada are beyond their useful lives and need to be replaced, according to a study by Utah State University. By using data the utility already collects, such as GIS data and historical pipe failure data, as well as data collected through Itron’s water solutions, including Temetra, analytics and advanced metering infrastructure data collection solutions, Pipe Asset Management proactively mines public data, such as soil, terrain, roads and other natural and synthesized features. This data feeds into VODA.ai’s AI engine and is presented in an interactive tool to identify pipes that need replacing or rehabilitating. When paired with Itron tools for identifying and managing non-revenue water, Pipe Asset Management helps prioritize capital expenditures to make the strongest impact on water loss.
“Water utilities often are faced with trouble identifying pipes that are at high risk of failure. Rather than using guesswork to select pipes for replacement, which may still have useful life, Itron and VODA.ai are helping utilities use science and AI to overcome this challenge,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “The tool’s Lead Pipe Inventory Replacement, which uses AI to identify lead composition in water pipes, is also crucial as we strive to ensure the safe delivery of drinking water now and into the future. With nearly a third of pumped water lost due to leaks in the distribution system and millions of miles of lead pipe across the United States, combining Itron’s water portfolio with VODA.ai’s AI engine daVinciTM provides a complete solution in identifying non-revenue water loss and creating a lead-free water distribution network.”
“Our mission at VODA.ai is to simplify engineering for water professionals. Combining our solution with Itron’s existing end-to-end water solution portfolio not only aligns with our mission but allows us to extend our services by tapping into a new audience of Itron customers,” said George Demosthenous, CEO at VODA.ai. “By extending our services, we can help more utilities and water professionals make informed decisions when it comes to pipe replacement and reducing the number of lead service lines. We look forward to working together and creating a sustainable environment for future generations.”
