Bengaluru water board to deploy AI-powered robotic solution to plug pipeline leakages, floats tender

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The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has decided to deploy an AI-powered robotic solution to detect and plug leakages in its ageing water pipeline network.

The board has recently floated a tender inviting firms to supply and operate robotic systems capable of carrying out leak detection and condition assessment of underground pipelines in South Bengaluru (Jayanagar).

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According to officials, the system involves miniature robots equipped with cameras that can patrol inside pipes, identify leaks, blocks and defects, and send AI-based reports to engineers.

“This will help us identify leakages and water contamination in a scientific manner. It will also enable us to pinpoint the exact source of seepage without having to dig up roads at multiple locations, which is the current practice,” a senior BWSSB official told Moneycontrol.

BWSSB chairman V. Ram Prasath Manohar told Moneycontrol:"We are deploying robotics for plugging water leakages and maintaining the sewer network. Traditional methods cannot clean drains extending up to 25 metres, but robots can. These systems will have centralized monitoring and improve efficiency and safety for sanitary workers. For water pipelines, we are introducing mini-bots to identify and plug leakages, starting in South Bengaluru. This is an innovation we are trying both for water leakage and sewage management."

The selected firm will be responsible for supplying and deploying the robotic system, team management, field inspections, defect identification, and submission of detailed reports. The robots will also check for contamination sources, improper joints, illegal connections, encrustation levels and other anomalies in water pipelines ranging from 150 mm to 400 mm in diameter.

Also, read: Bengaluru water board to use AI, IoT for borewell management

As per the tender conditions, the agency must deploy a three-member team to work 24 days a month, covering three to four sites daily with eight-hour shifts, in coordination with BWSSB engineers.

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The move is aimed at cutting Unaccounted-for Water (UfW) - losses from leaks and theft - to below 10 percent. Currently, Bengaluru loses about 28 percent of its treated water before it reaches consumers. Several cities in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai, have already deployed similar robotic solutions for their water networks.

Also, read: Bengaluru water board bets big on AI and IoT; floats tender for real-time monitoring system for borewells