Arlington Water Utilities Uses Satellites to Detect Leaks, Save Water

Published on November 21, 2025

By Alyssa Burlison, Arlington Water Utilities

Arlington Water Utilities is using satellites to detect distribution system leaks that can waste millions of gallons of water. Over the past year, the City of Arlington’s water department has initiated pilot programs with two satellite leak detection companies - ASTERRA and Paradigm Satellite Leak Detection. Both companies scan the entire City with Earth-orbiting satellites to detect underground moisture levels and temperature variations in a targeted flight path. That data is used to predict “points of interest” or areas that Arlington Water Utilities can investigate for potential leaks on the City’s system. The project has yielded out-of-this-world results, with savings of almost $500,000 in avoided lost water costs already reported.

Arlington Water Utilities is responsible for a water distribution system that includes 1,470 miles of water mains.

Traditionally, Arlington Water Utilities relied on citizens to report water flowing where it shouldn’t be - like in a street or from a curb - to spur a leak investigation. Then, the City’s three-person leak detection team could place acoustic listening equipment on valves and over distribution lines to triangulate a suspected leak.  They would ultimately use a ground mic to listen for the leak and pinpoint its location before digging began.

This worked for leaks where water was breaking the surface. But leaks where the water remained in the ground, or surfaced and drained into a storm drain, could go unnoticed for weeks or even months.

The situation changed this past March when Arlington’s leak detection team collaborated with ASTERRA, which uses technology that was once used to look for water on Mars. ASTERRA’s computers combine the data from satellites with an algorithm to identify points of interest for investigation, without being limited to only surfaced water line leaks.

This year, ASTERRA has provided the City with approximately 340 potential leak locations. That information resulted in 34 detected and repaired leaks. Overall, ASTERRA saved an estimated, $440,800 in lost water costs and 1,130,567 gallons of water. 

To make sure the City is using the most efficient leak detection system there is, in July Arlington Water Utilities tested another program, Paradigm. Like ASTERRA, Paradigm uses satellites to detect areas with high moisture levels and possible leaks. The difference is where ASTERRA uses an algorithm to draw conclusions about leaks, Paradigm uses people. Once given the satellite information, Paradigm’s team cross analyzes it with a map of the City’s valves and hydrants to specify exact points where leaks are coming from.

When we tested Paradigm, 7 out of 10 points of interest had leaks. That’s a 70% success rate. Today Paradigm has helped locate 33 City leaks and saved $36,617 in energy costs.

By actively helping detect and reduce water loss, both systems aid the city of Arlington in receiving its award-winning tap water.

“Satellite programs prevent our team from spending entire days searching for leaks,” according to Arlington Water Utilities Conservation Supervisor Richard Everhart. “Now they have data-driven locations to investigate.”

Arlington Water Utilities is evaluating both pilot programs for permanent use as leak detection tools.