Spain is one of the countries with a higher tendency towards water stress, with one of the highest water consumption rates per capita in Europe. This problem is severely exacerbated by the high rate of water losses throughout its distribution network. Leakages in drinking water supply networks represent an inefficiency of the system and pose a risk to infrastructure security, in addition to causing considerable economic losses. The scarcity of water in Spain and in the world requires a reconsideration of the way in which the exploitation and supply of drinking water have been managed in recent years.

To achieve efficient water management, it is necessary to understand the actual state of the infrastructure and its processes. Only then can actions be taken to minimize losses in drinking water supply systems by accurately pinpointing where leaks or failures occur in the supply network conduits.

So far, electronic sensors have been used in monitoring tasks for water infrastructure. However, these systems present a significant cost-reliability issue, especially when dealing with linear infrastructure and aggressive environments. Despite the importance of water leak detection, there is currently no economical and reliable method available that allows for immediate access to relevant information about the state of supply networks.

To achieve this goal, the Empresa Mixta Metropolitana (EMIMET), the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) and Fibsen joined forces to launch Project OPTIFIB.

OPTIFIB “Optimización del rendimiento hidráulico de la red de agua potable mediante fibra óptica”

This is an ambitious project in which a low-cost, energy-efficient real-time water monitoring solution will be developed using fiber optics, over a period of 3 years.

OPTIFIB is co-funded by the European Union through the Programa Operativo del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) of the Valencian Community 2014-2020 (EXP INNEST/2021/236). Its activities will be carried out in collaboration between EMIMET, UPV, and Fibsen.