In Kochi,French company SUEZ rolled out AI-driven inspection tech to clear a blockage in Kerala Water Authority (KWA) pipeline network. This plan took shape on Friday,June 19, 2026,after a blockage was found disrupting water supply to Vennala region.
A senior KWA official said after annual maintenance at Aluva water treatment plant,they saw that water wasn't fully restored to Vennala's tail-end. Efforts to swap out a section of old pipeline didn't fix it. That's when they realized there might be blockage.
To dig deeper,KWA used a robotic camera, a first for state. This AI tech allows for close look at underground pipelines without ripping up ground. System comes with a high-def Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera and advanced analytics. It can inspect pipelines from 90 mm to 900 mm wide. Spots hidden leaks,blockages,illegal connections,structural defects.
It's part of a bigger ₹1,141.28-crore project funded by Asian Development Bank, aimed at improving water distribution in Kochi. SUEZ inked an agreement with KWA last year to boost city's water supply management.
This use of AI tech shows a change in tackling infrastructure issues. Is this the future of urban water management…?
