Using AI to fight scarcity: SG tech giant eyes plugging PH water sector's leaky pipes

The idea that the Philippines is grappling with a water crisis is not an exaggeration. In Bulacan, for example, residents often wait past midnight for running water, only for it to arrive rusty.

- DERCO ROSAL

The country's vulnerability, compounded by being a frequent stop for typhoons, only exacerbates the problem.

Singapore, too, once faced a water crisisbut managed to overcome this proverbial drought through advanced technology. For one, the island state has turned wastewater into safe drinking water using next-generation filtration and treatment systems.

Robin Wong, founder and chief commercial officer (CCO) of Singapore-based AI water technology firm TeamSolve, is now bringing their solutions to the Philippines to tackle the country's longstanding water-sector issues: leakages and scarcity.

Recent data showed the country's water threshold or availability has fallen to 1,373 cubic meters per person, well below the global waterstress benchmark of 1,700 cubic meters.

Water stress has also deepened, as nearly half of the country's water districts are losing a third of their supply to aging pipes, leaks, and other system inefficiencies.

Team Solve officially launched the Balibot App in the Philippines following successful field trials with provincial water distributor Balibago Waterworks.

TeamSolve has invested in software development and AI engineers, while Balibago took part in testing and validating the effectiveness of the tool.

Wong said the deal to roll out the system across Balibago's enterprise was made with a clear view of its returns, including resilience gains and the long-term goal of cutting asset and lifecycle costs.

By following through on promised upgrades in operations and maintenance, Wong said the water firm expects to trim operating expenses by about a quarter while boosting revenue through increased water savings.

"Water savings mean more water they can sell," Wong noted. "This is increasingly important with climate change because water sources are drying up. Deep wells are drying up. You absolutely must fix your leaks here. You cannot afford to have high leakage anymore."