Rajasthan, India’s largest and driest state, faces acute water scarcity, particularly in its north-western desert regions. Rapid urbanisation over recent decades has strained already fragile infrastructure. A study covering 222 towns conducted by the Danish technology and advisory company DHI showed that water supply systems were found to be inefficient and intermittent, often failing to deliver water at adequate pressure. High head losses caused by friction in outdated pipelines, combined with low terminal pressure, meant that water could not reliably reach many consumers. Leakages and poor pressure management contributed significantly to water loss across the network.

To address this, a detailed benchmarking and hydraulic analysis was conducted using MIKE+, DHI’s digital water modelling platform. The study involved building and calibrating hydraulic models using data from thousands of network assets, terrain conditions and supply patterns. The software enabled detailed mapping of low-pressure zones and high-risk leakage points, allowing for targeted analysis and simulation. Based on these insights, new pipeline layouts and network loops were proposed to reduce head loss and boost terminal pressure, thus improving both efficiency and reliability.

The study resulted in nearly 3,000 calibrated models across the 222 towns. These digital models identified bottlenecks and leak-prone areas, supporting more informed investment decisions. The approach offered both immediate solutions and a scalable model for water loss control, leakage detection and long-term water security planning across Rajasthan and potentially other water-stressed regions in India.