Reducing urban water losses is one of the most immediate and effective measures for ensuring long-term water security for households, communities and economies.

In a changing climate with growing cities and competing demands, Non-Revenue Water (NRW) is more than an operational inefficiency. It is a direct risk to supply resilience, financial sustainability and climate goals. Every drop saved strengthens our capacity to deliver safe, affordable water for people, industry and nature.

This white paper showcases Denmark’s impressive track record in NRW reduction, achieved through strong governance, targeted investment and innovation. Bringing losses to some of the lowest levels in the world is not just a technical achievement. It reflects a culture of valuing water, rigorous data use and inclusive stakeholder engagement. These lessons are highly relevant for the broader European and global water community.

At Water Europe, we see NRW reduction as a cornerstone of our vision for a Water-Smart Society. This is a society that fully recognises water’s value, manages all sources sustainably, closes loops in the circular economy, and unites innovation, governance, technology and people to build resilience. It works to prevent loss and ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency for all. In this society, water security is achieved not only by increasing supply but also by unlocking the full potential of efficiency, reuse, digitalisation and cross-sector collaboration.

This vision is fully consistent with the new EU Water Resilience Strategy, which calls for strengthening supply resilience, enhancing infrastructure performance and optimising water use efficiency. Reducing NRW delivers on all three fronts. It is as much a climate and energy strategy as it is a water strategy. It lowers greenhouse gas emissions, reduces operational costs and helps defer costly new infrastructure by making better use of existing resources.

The Danish experience illustrates what can be achieved when governance, technology and public awareness are aligned. From advanced leak detection to performance-based targets, the approaches outlined here can be scaled and adapted worldwide. By embedding NRW reduction into investment frameworks, regulatory systems and city planning, we can accelerate progress towards a climate-resilient and water-secure future. Water scarcity is a shared challenge, but so too is the opportunity to act.

Let us draw inspiration from Danish excellence and work together across sectors, borders and disciplines to make every drop count and secure water for generations to come.