Adroit Technologies, a leader in industrial automation and digital transformation solutions and well experienced in working with water utilities, is advancing its research and development into an AI-powered Water Management Platform, to help address one of South Africa’s most urgent infrastructure challenges: non-revenue water losses.
Adroit Technologies is exploring new ways to enhance intelligent, data-driven water management.
The R&D programme is exploring the potential to develop a first if its kind, AI-driven ‘pseudo-metering’ capability, one that can infer consumption and pressure data in areas where physical meters are not installed. “We have proven the initial concept and have now secured the support of government and other industry leaders to develop this AI-driven platform, says Frits Kok, Co-CEO at Adroit Technologies.
With nearly 40% of the country’s treated water lost to leaks, theft, and ageing infrastructure, Adroit Technologies is looking at new ways to enhance intelligent, data-driven water management. Using advanced machine learning (ML) and neural network algorithms, the research platform can analyse existing telemetry and SCADA data to detect leaks, forecast demand, and infer flow rates in areas without sensors, potentially opening a route to more efficient, transparent municipal water systems.
“Smarter, data-driven solutions can help address South Africa’s water infrastructure challenges,” says Kok. “Our current R&D is focused on developing next-generation AI capabilities that will, in time, complement our existing water management technologies, which are already helping utilities reduce water losses and make informed operational decisions.”
A national challenge
Urban growth, vandalism, and limited monitoring capacity have placed severe strain on South Africa’s water systems. In many municipalities, leaks and pump failures are discovered only after outages occur.
Through its ongoing research, Adroit Technologies aims to integrate new AI tools with existing SCADA and telemetry systems to deliver predictive analytics, real-time alerts, and actionable insights, helping engineers identify hidden losses and optimise operations before crises arise.
The AI-driven pseudo-metering can infer consumption and pressure data where physical meters are missing or damaged. It has the potential to help under-resourced municipalities monitor conditions across water networks that were previously ‘data blind.’
Adroit Technologies’ current research is focused on developing a scalable, national-level AI framework that leverages forecasting, anomaly detection, and digital twin modelling to enhance decision-making and support more efficient water use.
A hybrid neural network architecture (CNN-LSTM) and self-healing data middleware are being designed to operate effectively even with incomplete or delayed data, a common challenge across South Africa’s municipalities.
“This research is about enabling resilience,” says Hugo Pienaar, Director of Digital Services at Adroit Technologies. “By combining AI with decades of SCADA expertise, we are helping municipalities envision how to predict issues before they happen and manage scarce water resources more efficiently.”
A smarter, sustainable future
Adroit Technologies already offers a proven suite of water management and SCADA solutions that empower utilities to detect leaks, optimise assets, and improve operational efficiency.
As the company progresses its R&D in AI-powered water management capabilities, the new AI capabilities will be introduced into its product range, enabling customers to benefit from the latest innovations in predictive maintenance, data analytics, and infrastructure optimisation, designed to strengthen South Africa’s water security and sustainability.
For more information visit: https://adroitscada.com/#
