As cities face growing water stress, climate impacts and rising demand, securing reliable water supply has become a critical challenge. One of the most effective – and often overlooked – solutions lies in reducing non-revenue water.

In many cities worldwide, between 25 and 50 percent of treated drinking water never reaches end users. Lost through leaks, pipe bursts or inaccurate metering, these losses undermine water security, increase energy use and weaken utility finances.

Yet non-revenue water is also one of the most solvable challenges facing urban water systems.

Turning efficiency into resilience

As climate change accelerates and urban populations grow, water utilities are under increasing pressure to deliver reliable services with fewer resources. Reducing water losses is no longer just an operational concern – it is a strategic measure to strengthen security of supply, cut emissions and improve system resilience.

Across the globe, utilities are beginning to recognise that efficiency gains in water distribution can delay costly infrastructure expansions, lower energy consumption and stabilise supply during droughts and peak demand. In this context, reducing non-revenue water represents a fast, cost-effective pathway to more resilient cities.

Reducing urban water losses

To support this transition, State of Green is proud to launch the new white paper Reducing urban water losses.

The publication explores how a holistic approach to non-revenue water – combining long-term planning, smart regulation and digital technologies – can significantly improve water supply security. Drawing on Danish experience and international cases, it demonstrates how utilities can move from fragmented interventions to integrated strategies that deliver measurable results.

Spanning themes such as system audits and NRW master planning, pressure management, district metering and smart water systems, the white paper offers concrete insights into how water loss reduction can be embedded into daily operations and long-term investment decisions.

Readers will find inspiration and practical guidance on:

• Why reducing non-revenue water is critical for resilient and reliable water supply

• How strategic planning and prioritisation improve return on investment

• Ways to keep losses low through pressure management, district metering and high-quality assets

• How digital tools and smart water systems enable faster leak detection and better decision-making

• Real-world cases from Denmark and around the world demonstrating significant NRW reductions