State of Green

Non-revenue water

Digital water solutions

Security of supply

+5

12 January 2026

Reducing urban water losses

Meeting future water demands with holistic non-revenue water planning and intelligent technologies. Discover our publication on how to reduce urban water losses.

front page white paper reducing urban water losses

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What is NRW (non-revenue water)?

Non-revenue water (NRW) refers to water that is produced and enters a distribution system but is not billed to customers due to leaks, pipe bursts, metering inaccuracies, data handling errors, theft, or authorised but unbilled use — making NRW a key indicator of water loss, system efficiency and water supply resilience.

As climate change, urbanisation, and rising demand put growing pressure on water systems, non-revenue water (NRW) has become one of the biggest — and most solvable — challenges facing cities worldwide.

In many urban areas, up to half of treated water is lost before it ever reaches users, undermining supply resilience, increasing costs and wasting energy.

This publication showcases how a holistic approach to reducing water loss — combining smart regulation, digital technologies and long-term planning — can strengthen water security, cut emissions and improve utility performance.

Drawing on Danish and international best practices, it offers practical insights for building resilient, efficient and future-ready water systems.

Key takeaways from the publication

Explore the fundamentals of NRW and why reducing water loss is critical for resilient water supply systems
Gain practical insights into planning and prioritisation, including audits, NRW master plans and performance indicators
Learn how to keep NRW low in daily operations through pressure management, district metering and high-quality assets
Discover how smart water systems and digital tools enable faster leak detection and data-driven decision-making
Get inspired by concrete cases and projects from Denmark and around the world that demonstrate measurable NRW reductions

front page white paper reducing urban water losses

Download the publication

Explore articles from this publication

Water security begins with every drop saved

Reducing water loss is essential to securing the future

The importance of reducing NRW

A successful programme for reducing NRW: Holistic planning and prioritising

Keeping NRW levels low during operations

Smart water systems for smarter leakage detection

Barriers to successful water loss reduction

The importance of public awareness and political targets

Reaping the benefits of reduced water losses

Securing future developments in NRW reduction

Tap into Danish water expertise

Discover cases from this publication

Using smart metering data for water loss management

NIRAS

Non-revenue water

Using smart metering data for water loss management

The City of Fort Worth in Texas, with a population of nearly one million, has invested significantly in smart water metering technologies to aid in address high levels of NRW. In 2022 alone, the city reported water losses of around 6.54 billion gallons. Although an advanced metering system was in pl

Dedicated network and system efforts lead to impressive NRW results

VCS Denmark

Non-revenue water

+2

Dedicated network and system efforts lead to impressive NRW results

In the city of Odense, water utility VCS Denmark has been supplying the city with clean drinking water since 1853. VCS Denmark operates five waterworks, eight wastewater treatment plants and 3,400 kilometres of pipeline networks. VCS Denmark realized early that the utility faced the challenge of red

Efficient water supply management reduces critical water losses

AVK

Non-revenue water

+2

Efficient water supply management reduces critical water losses

Georgian Water and Power (GWP), serving over 500,000 customers in the mountainous city of Tbilisi, faced substantial water losses of around 70 percent. The city’s complex water distribution network spans 3,600 kilometres and five vertical pressure zones, creating significant operational challenges.

Optimising water pressure management in Naples

Grundfos

Digital water solutions

+2

Optimising water pressure management in Naples

The Villa Albertini water district in the province of Naples was facing persistent challenges related to water distribution. Excessive and unstable water pressure led to frequent pipeline failures and high water losses, placing strain on the system’s reliability and the utility’s operational capacit

Saving water, money and time with digital smart meters

Kamstrup

Non-revenue water

Saving water, money and time with digital smart meters

In the mountainous municipality of Vacarisses near Barcelona, the local water utility faced mounting challenges due to aging infrastructure, recurring drought conditions and widespread leakages. With 40 percent of water consumption lost through leaks – many from unknown parts of the network &#

Digital monitoring to identify leak-prone areas

DHI A/S

Non-revenue water

Digital monitoring to identify leak-prone areas

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

Subverting the water-energy nexus with intelligent pressure management systems

Grundfos

Non-revenue water

+6

Subverting the water-energy nexus with intelligent pressure management systems

Water is a critical resource. However, demand for water is multiplying, having increased eightfold over the last 100 years. Growing populations, greater urbanisation and water-intensive lifestyles that arise as a result of economic development are placing upward pressure on the demand for water. Wit

Reducing energy use and water loss through smart pressure management in Malaysia

NIRAS

Non-revenue water

+1

Reducing energy use and water loss through smart pressure management in Malaysia

In Malaysia’s most populous state, Selangor, the public water utility Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd serves more than 9 million residents through an extensive supply system. The network faces growing challenges in balancing efficient water delivery with high energy consumption, particularly for pum

Ultrasonic meters improve network efficiency

Kamstrup

Water management

+2

Ultrasonic meters improve network efficiency

In the French part of the Eastern Pyrenees, a persistent drought has made a heavy impact on the region’s water resources. To secure a stable water supply, Eau Agglo Perpignan Méditerranée. responsible for local water management, replaces mechanical water meters with ultrasonic Kamstrup meters. The P

Training leak detection skills to reduce water loss globally

Aarhus Vand A/S

Non-revenue water

Training leak detection skills to reduce water loss globally

Aarhus Vand utility has established a dedicated leak detection training field in Viby J, Denmark. As part of the Water Living Lab, the initiative addresses the need for skilled operators who can detect leaks efficiently under real-world conditions. Utilities, educational institutions and companies a

Strategic water partnership to stop water losses through system integration and holistic monitoring

AVK

Non-revenue water

Strategic water partnership to stop water losses through system integration and holistic monitoring

Nine Danish partners formed a consortium with the objective of demonstrating the use and effect of integrated high-end solutions within water loss control based on Danish technologies and know-how. The nine partners included leading technology providers, consultants, water utilities and the Technica

Fast track to successful NRW reduction in Larvik, Norway

Envidan

Non-revenue water

+2

Fast track to successful NRW reduction in Larvik, Norway

The City of Larvik has a customer base of 39,000 people. Larvik is also a popular holiday destination. Larvik has several pressure zones, gravity supply reservoirs and pumping stations. The distribution system has eight major districts, subdivided into 20 DMAs with 35 district meters. During the sum