Cutting through the noise: Why AI is a powerful ally for city leaders
Supporting compliance and sustainability As climate pressures and regulatory expectations grow, AMI is also proving valuable for compliance, reporting and long-term sustainability planning.
Better visibility into system- level energy and emissions performance
Automated data collection for regulatory reporting
Real-time alerts for conservation and drought response
Enhanced demand forecasting and supply planning
It’s not easy running a city today. Municipal leaders have limited budgets to meet rising demands for better transport, safer streets and a host of other issues that It’s a theme that echoes around the world. Toronto¹ is adjusting to its status as the fastest-growing city in North America, while Londoners² cite concerns about crime and the rising cost of living. In New York City³, almost half of the residents say they may leave within five years, citing concerns over affordability, safety and living space. In Sydney, housing affordability remains a key challenge, yet citizens increasingly favour low-density living. If you’re a city leader, you may be wondering how to transform all of this “noise” into precise data and long-term solutions. Fortunately, the emergence of generative AI is making these questions much easier to answer. Generative AI’s ability to scan massive amounts of data and identify patterns provides cities with a powerful new resource to design and implement plans more intelligently. A carefully orchestrated AI system can supercharge the way we process and understand community data. It can also be applied to current project portfolios and a city's historical data, sifting through years of community engagement to unearth new perspectives and identify hidden trends. Expertly applied to both the present and the past, AI can give city leaders an unprecedented ability to understand problems more clearly so they can create effective solutions.
For utilities pursuing sustainability goals, AMI offers quantifiable metrics that support transparent reporting and demonstrate environmental stewardship.
affect urban living. Emily Gallant, Technical Director, Engagement, Innovation and Partnerships
Resilient by design Water utilities today face a convergence of pressures including ageing assets, limited budgets, rising expectations and a rapidly changing climate. AMI offers a way to respond strategically, not reactively. By embedding intelligence across the network, it allows utilities to shift from firefighting to foresight. Ultimately, the value of AMI goes far beyond billing accuracy or operational savings. It lies in enabling smarter systems, more informed planning and stronger relationships with the communities they serve. The next step is clear: treat AMI as a strategic asset, not just a digital tool.
Start by asking: – Where are the most costly data blind spots in our network? – What decisions could we make differently with real-time visibility? – How might smarter metering unlock value for customers, regulators and the bottom line? Those who act early will gain the greatest advantage through lower losses, better service and a stronger foundation for the future of water.
Carla Pignatelli, Service Line Leader, Engagement and Communications
Smart Metering (AMI)
AMI impacts: leak detection, billing accuracy, predictive maintenance, informed asset planning
30% treated water loss globally. US$39B in non- revenue water
Benefits/results: better visibility, better decisions, and better outcomes
Case study – Patterson, California
Integrated AMI data into billing platform. Improved billing accuracy and faster troubleshooting
Real-time usage data informed contractor performance evaluations
Annual water audits and digital twin of the network for capital planning
References: 1. Water New Zealand ‘Using AMI technology to reduce non-revenue water, improve resiliency and enhance customer satisfaction’ Annual Conference 2024. https://www.waternz.org.nz/Article?Action=View&Article_id=1591 2. ResearchGate ‘Quantifying the global non-revenue water problem’, 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326238463_Quantifying_the_global_non-revenue_water_problem 3. GHD ‘Managing water meter upgrades for City of Patterson: From installation to integration’ 2024. https://www.ghd.com/en-au/projects/managing-water-meter-upgrades-for-city-of-patterson-from-installation-to-integration
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