As it prepares for colder temperatures that can put more pressure on water networks, leading to a rise in bursts and leaks, Portsmouth Water is to roll out advanced leak detection technology across parts of its network using a full-fibre broadband infrastructure.
Serving its communities for over 160 years, Portsmouth Water provides water to a domestic population exceeding 700,000, as well as to industries, large defence establishments – its home base is in the heart of the home of the Royal Navy – and varied commercial businesses.
Specifically, the geographic area it supplies extends through Southeast Hampshire and West Sussex from the River Meon in the West, to the river Arun in the East, encompassing 868 square kilometres.
The company takes water from springs, wells, boreholes and surface water sources that it has in the area, delivering an average of 183 million litres every day to the cities and towns of Portsmouth, Chichester, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Bognor Regis. Over the past decade, this supply has increased by 11 million litres per day.
Portsmouth Water says it is currently working against the backdrop of climate change and population growth, and will still aim to provide an affordable, reliable and sustainable supply of high-quality water. It adds that by being smart in its approach, it can meet its goals while protecting and enhancing the environment for future generations.
This smart approach is exemplified by the new technology, which is due to be introduced in December 2026. It will be delivered in partnership with utility infrastructure company Lightsonic, using fibre optic cables from leading UK broadband provider Openreach that run alongside water pipes to detect the sound of leaks, helping to identify and repair leaks more quickly.
Specifically, Lightsonic’s technology is designed to identify sound patterns created by leaking water, helping to pinpoint potential leaks to within 10 metres. It does this by using Distributed Acoustic Sensing to transform existing fibre optic cables into a continuous sensing network. The Lightsonic offering typically detects 1.2 million litres of water leaks per day per 100km of network covered annually.
Portsmouth Water says the technology is already delivering significant benefits, helping technicians find up to four times more leaks than traditional methods. Indeed, it claims that the Lightsonic/Openreach system can save more than one million litres of water a day for every 100km of network.
“Reducing leakage is a key priority for us, and identifying and repairing leaks as soon as possible is essential to achieving that,” said Portsmouth Water CEO Bob Taylor. “This technology will help us detect leaks more quickly, find more leaks across our network and carry out repairs sooner, helping to reduce water loss. We’re excited to be working with Lightsonic and Openreach, and look forward to seeing the results.”
Lightsonic co-founder and CEO Tommy Langnes added: “Water companies are facing a growing challenge from water scarcity, ageing infrastructure and climate pressures to reduce leakage. Using this new technology, Portsmouth Water will be able to locate leaks faster and improve the productivity of its field teams.”
For its part, Openreach said the introduction of the technology comes at a time when the water industry is facing increasing pressure to reduce leakage while addressing a skills shortage across the sector.
Furthermore, through providing more accurate and timely information on potential leaks, Openreach stressed the technology can help water companies prioritise repairs, deploy teams more efficiently and make better use of available resources.
Because the fibre is already in the ground, it said Portsmouth Water can monitor long stretches of its network without installing a separate system of physical sensors or carrying out widespread excavation. The result is said to be quicker, less disruptive and more cost-effective deployment, while creating the potential to expand monitoring as coverage and operational needs grow.
