Smart water meters are becoming strategic assets for European utilities as the EU prepares a digital action plan for water management, according to Xylem Vue.
Xylem Vue says smart water meters will play a growing role in Europe’s digital water transformation as utilities face climate uncertainty, ageing infrastructure and rising pressure to improve water efficiency.
The comments follow the European Commission’s launch of a call for evidence to support an EU-wide Action Plan on digitalisation in the water sector, including an initiative on smart metres for all.
The European Commission launched the consultation on 27 May 2026. It said the plan aims to modernise water management through data-driven innovation and support the deployment of technologies such as sensors, artificial intelligence, smart metering and digital twins.
Smart water meters become strategic assets
Xylem Vue said smart water meters are becoming strategic assets because they can help utilities make better decisions, improve operations and manage water resources more efficiently.
For decades, many water networks have been managed reactively, with utilities responding to events as they occur. Xylem Vue said digital transformation and advanced data analysis can give utilities greater visibility of consumption patterns, demand behaviour and performance indicators.
Humberto Morales, Head of the Drinking Water Supply Division at Xylem Vue, said: “utilities are already moving toward a fundamental principle: you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Smart metering represents not only a new generation of devices; it is the ultimate example of the strategic value of data and digital transformation,”
Morales added: “water meters have long ceased to be merely a billing tool. Today, they play a strategic role in day-to-day management, providing real-time visibility, supporting predictive demand forecasting, and enabling the early detection of anomalies.”
Smart water meters can shift utilities from reactive to proactive management
Xylem Vue said the move from four or six annual readings to 8,760 hourly readings per year represents a significant change in how utilities manage networks.
The availability of continuous information can help utilities anticipate operational issues and move towards a more proactive model, according to the company.
Jaime Barba, CEO of Idrica and General Manager of Xylem Vue, said the new challenges facing the water sector “are not only technological, but also organizational and generational,”
European water policy is also placing greater emphasis on resilience. The Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy sets out the EU’s approach to improving water security and preparing for water-related risks.
Water networks become sources of data
Xylem Vue said digitalisation allows utilities to “listen” to their water networks by turning smart meters and sensors into sources of operational intelligence.
Traditionally, supply networks have been viewed mainly as physical infrastructure used to transport water from production points to end users. The company said these systems are now also carrying information that can support better network management.
Every smart meter or pressure sensor installed in a network can help build a more complete view of system performance. That knowledge is becoming more important as utilities manage climate uncertainty, regulatory pressure and ageing infrastructure.
Humberto Morales said: “those that will make the difference will not only be those with more information, but those capable of turning that information into better decisions and more effective operations.”
Smart metering can support more proactive management of water networks. Image: Xylem Vue
EU consultation puts focus on digital water management
The Commission’s call for evidence is part of work to prepare a future EU Action Plan for the Digitalisation of the Water Sector.
According to the Commission, the action plan is expected to support the deployment of digital technologies across the water sector, improve water efficiency, strengthen protection of the water cycle and help maintain access to clean and affordable water.
Xylem Vue said the initiative places the focus on the value of data and on how utilities can use information as a strategic asset.
The company describes Xylem Vue as an integrated analytics and software platform that can capture data from multiple sources, including legacy systems, to provide utilities with a 360-degree view of their networks.
For more coverage of digital water technology, visit H2O Global News’ Technology section.
Source: Xylem Vue
