Portsmouth Water has partnered with Lightsonic to roll out advanced leak detection technology across parts of its network using Openreach’s Full Fibre infrastructure.

Photo: Potsmouth Water technicians

The technology will use fibre optic cables that run alongside the company’s water pipes to detect the sound of leaks, helping to identify and repair leaks more quickly as the utility prepares for the winter season.

The new technology is due to be introduced in December 2026, as Portsmouth Water prepares for colder temperatures that can put more pressure on water networks, leading to a rise in bursts and leaks.

Lightsonic’s technology can identify sound patterns created by leaking water, helping to pinpoint potential leaks to within 10 metres. It does this by using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) to transform existing fibre optic cables into a continuous sensing network.

The UK-based company uses existing fibre infrastructure and DFOS technology to continuously monitor water networks at scale, enabling utilities to detect leaks earlier and over larger areas of their network. The company works with Openreach and already has deployments with water companies including Affinity Water and Southern Water.

Lightsonic’s solution typically detects 1.2 million litres of water leaks per day per 100km of network covered annually.

The technology is already delivering significant benefits, helping technicians find up to four times more leaks than traditional methods. Through Lightsonic's partnership with Openreach, it saves more than one million litres of water a day for every 100km of network.

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, at Portsmouth Water, said:

“Reducing leakage is a key priority for us, and identifying and repairing leaks as soon as possible is essential to achieving that. 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.”

Tommy Langnes, Co-Founder and CEO of Lightsonic, said:

"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. We’re delighted to be working with Portsmouth Water to bring this technology to more communities across the UK."

Openreach is investing £15 billion to build a new, ultra-reliable, Full Fibre broadband network to 25 million homes and businesses by the end of 2026. Work is on track – the firm has already reached 23.5 million premises. Openreach says it intends to go even further - to as many as 30 million premises by early next decade.

Trevor Linney, Openreach’s Director of Network Technology, added:

"We're seeing growing interest from water companies in using fibre sensing technology in this way. By combining Lightsonic's technology with Openreach's Full Fibre network, water companies can gain greater visibility of their assets, helping them reduce leakage and manage resources more sustainably. We're pleased to support Portsmouth Water in adopting this new approach."

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. By providing more accurate and timely information on potential leaks, the technology can help water companies prioritise repairs, deploy teams more efficiently and make better use of available resources.

Portsmouth Water says the new fibre-based technology will help find leaks more quickly and support its industry-leading leakage performance. The work forms part of its continued investment in innovation and technology to reduce leakage and deliver long-term benefits for customers and the environment.