Filipino startup uses AI to cut water leaks

By Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter

FILIPINO startup Hiraya Technology Solutions, Inc. is using artificial intelligence (AI) to automate water management and reduce leaks in residential and commercial systems, as local utilities move to improve efficiency and cut waste.

Its flagship product, Hiraya Intelligent Modular Optimization (HIMO), uses AI to monitor and adjust water pressure in real time. The system can detect leaks and automatically lower pressure to minimize water loss, Junior Software Engineer Rhiza Laxamana told BusinessWorld in an interview.

“It helps each water district balance pressure, organize data and improve water delivery to every household,” she said in Filipino.

The HIMO platform installs sensors and data loggers along the water network to feed live information to pumping stations. Based on this data, the AI system automatically controls valves and pressure levels — functions that many water districts still manage manually.

The setup includes alarm systems for leak alerts and a dashboard for centralized monitoring. Hiraya Tech estimates the system can reduce nonrevenue water — the volume lost to leaks and theft — by about 15% and raise revenue by 10%.

Major utilities are also turning to AI. Maynilad Water Services, Inc., the biggest private water provider in the country, said in January it invested P10 million in leak-detection AI.

Its pilot program identified more than 1,500 leaks across 750 kilometers of pipelines, helping cut nonrevenue water to 36.2% as of the first quarter, down from 66.4% in 2006, according to the company’s website.

Russell I. Diolata, Hiraya head of technical operations, said the HIMO system also improves coordination between pumping stations.

“Sometimes, one station runs out of water while another still has supply. The AI learns from the data and adjusts pressure automatically,” he said.

The system has been rolled out in Valencia City in Bukidnon province, Calamba in Laguna and Zamboanga City, with expansion plans in coordination with other local governments, he added.