Facilities managers know all too well the high cost of inefficiency—how anything from a lack of insulation to a poorly maintained HVAC system can lead to compounding utility costs. Inefficiency isn’t just about energy, though—it also encompasses water waste. And one of the most common sources of water waste is undetected, unaddressed leaking.
Leaks can happen for any number of reasons—for example, older pipes that rupture, or plumbing fittings that are improperly installed. Even a single leak, when left unrepaired, can contribute to significant water waste. In fact, over the course of a year, one leaky toilet might waste more than a million gallons! And given the sheer size and complexity of the typical commercial building, there may be any number of leaks that occur at any given time.
Needless to say, the sheer cost of all this wasted water can add up quickly. This is where cutting-edge technology comes to the facilities managers’ aid to mediate their risk, minimize inefficiency, and keep costs under control.
How Unaddressed Leaks Contribute to Higher Costs
Before arriving at a solution, it’s important for facilities managers to understand the extent of the problem. On average, around 25% of all water that enters a facility goes to waste, much of it due to unmediated leaks. In some facilities, that number can be as high as 70%.
Leaks can cause the cost of operating the facility to skyrocket—in more ways than one:
- The obvious issue is rising utility costs. Simply put, leaks can have a significant effect on the facility’s water bill and, at least in some municipalities, their wastewater fees.
- There’s also the matter of property damage. A single leak, if not detected and fixed promptly, may result in damaged infrastructure and the formation of mold and mildew.
- That property damage may mean major repair needs, possibly rendering parts of the facility unusable for an extended period of time—and that can mean unplanned downtime and lost productivity for the entire building.
- Finally, note that the damage caused by unaddressed leaks can also cause property insurance premiums to rise, another source of added expense for facilities managers.
Using Technology to Prevent Costly Leaks
For a problem of this magnitude, facilities managers might consider installing AI-powered water intelligence solutions that detect and mitigate leaks and inefficiencies.
Think of water management solutions as your AI-water-agent for the entire building. They carefully monitor all water use habits facility-wide. AI is used to learn the regular water use patterns at various locations in the building—and when irregularities are detected, facilities managers receive an automatic alert.
Water intelligence technology can be configured to automatically shut off relevant valves or supply lines any time a serious anomaly, such as a consequential leak, is detected—preventing any additional damage until the issue can be identified and resolved.
There are a number of benefits to this technology, including the fact that facilities managers can respond expediently to any potential problems—stopping small leaks before they turn into big ones, and preventing those costs from ballooning.
Additionally, AI-powered water intelligence provides facilities managers with historic data to help them better understand how their building consumes water, potentially spotting additional ways to curb waste and promote efficiency.
A final consideration: AI-based technology can provide valuable insights that are not related to immediate water damage risks—think cooling tower issues, misconfigured irrigation systems, or malfunctioning appliances. Facilities managers may use these insights to identify sources of waste, reduce costs, and resolve issues which could otherwise last for months or even years—promoting water efficiency above and beyond leak detection.
Taking a Proactive Approach to Water Management
Water waste and water damage are common at any type of facility, and without the appropriate preventative steps, it can be a source of significant expense. With the advent of robust, AI-powered water management technologies, facilities managers can now have a broad range of tools at their disposal to mitigate damaging leaks, prevent waste, and keep costs under control.
Yaron Dycian is chief product and strategy officer for WINT, a company that develops AI-powered water management and leak mitigation solutions.
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