FAQ: Can we stop cities from leaking water?

Mexico City has already saved 1.8 billion liters of water using technology funded by Amazon that minimizes strain from urban growth and drought.

A vast, aging network of pipes runs deep below the streets of Mexico City, which serves roughly 22 million people who call it home. As rapid urbanization and drought put pressure on these already-strained pipes, water is running scarce.

About 30,000 liters of water moves through the city every second, and up to 40% of that is lost—much of it due to leaks. But new technology is changing that.

With support from Amazon, Xylem—a global water solutions company—is helping to reduce, prevent, and fix underground leaks in parts of Mexico City, with plans to expand in the future.

Bringing real-time data and advanced analytics into the mix is giving public water utilities something they’ve historically lacked: timely visibility into what’s happening under the sprawling city streets.

Now, underground sensors can continuously monitor flow and pressure, allowing water utilities to analyze that data in a single view and at scale. They can also predict demand to manage the amount of water needed in a given district.

By using technology that improves pressure management and detects leaks early, the city can reduce water loss from existing supplies and address issues before small problems grow. Communities using this technology see tangible benefits, too, through more reliable water access, less disruption from major pipe failures, and stronger stewardship of a shared resource.

Learn more about Amazon’s work to protect and restore water resources.

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