Adroit Technologies Advances AI-Powered Water Management to Tackle South Africa’s Water Loss Crisis

For more than 30 years, Adroit Technologies  has led the way in industrial automation and digital transformation. Now, the company is advancing its cutting-edge research and development (R&D) into an AI-powered Water Management Platform aimed at addressing one of South Africa’s most pressing infrastructure problems: non-revenue water losses.

This new phase of R&D includes the development of an industry-first AI-driven “pseudo-metering” capability — a breakthrough technology that can infer consumption and pressure data in locations where physical meters are not installed. “We have validated the initial concept and now have the backing of government and key industry players to take this AI-driven platform to the next stage,” says Frits Kok, Co-CEO of Adroit Technologies.

With nearly 40% of South Africa’s treated water disappearing through leaks, theft, and ageing infrastructure, the company is exploring innovative ways to strengthen intelligent, data-led water management. By using advanced machine learning (ML) and neural network models, the research platform analyses existing telemetry and SCADA data to identify leaks early, forecast demand, and estimate flow rates in previously unmonitored sections of the network. This paves the way for more efficient, transparent, and predictive municipal water systems.

“South Africa’s water network challenges require smarter and more data-centric solutions,” emphasises Kok. “Our R&D efforts are aimed at developing next-generation AI capabilities that will eventually strengthen our existing water management tools—solutions that are already supporting utilities in reducing losses and improving operational decision-making.”

Addressing a National Crisis

Rapid urban growth, vandalism, under-investment, and limited monitoring capacity have placed immense pressure on the country’s water infrastructure. In many municipalities, leaks or pump failures are only detected after service disruptions occur.

Adroit Technologies’ research is working to seamlessly integrate new AI capabilities with current SCADA and telemetry systems, enabling utilities to benefit from predictive insights, real-time alerts, and actionable recommendations. These tools can help engineers detect hidden water losses, optimise operations, and respond proactively before issues escalate.

The AI-powered “pseudo-metering” model can infer pressure and consumption data even where physical meters are absent or damaged—providing under-resourced municipalities with visibility into network areas that were previously ‘data blind.’

Research with Meaningful, Real-World Value

The ongoing R&D is centred around creating a scalable, national AI framework powered by forecasting models, anomaly detection algorithms, and digital twin technology. These tools aim to support smarter decision-making and more responsible water use across the country.

A hybrid neural network architecture (CNN-LSTM) and a self-healing data middleware layer are being designed to operate reliably even when data is incomplete or delayed—an issue common across many water networks in South Africa.

“This research is fundamentally about building resilience,” explains Hugo Pienaar, Director of Digital Services at Adroit Technologies. “By combining advanced AI with our decades of SCADA expertise, we are giving municipalities a vision of how to anticipate issues before they occur and how to manage scarce water resources with far greater efficiency.”

Towards a Smarter, More Sustainable Water Future

While Adroit Technologies continues expanding its AI-focused R&D, the company already provides a proven suite of SCADA and water management solutions that enable utilities to detect leaks, improve system performance, and make informed operational decisions.

As the R&D programme advances, the new AI capabilities will be integrated into Adroit’s existing product portfolio. This will ensure that water utilities across South Africa can benefit from the latest innovations in predictive maintenance, data analytics, and infrastructure optimisation—all aimed at strengthening the nation’s long-term water security and sustainability.