Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Michael Casey, First Published Jan 12, 2026
Modernizing municipal water systems is essential for building resilient and sustainable communities. As infrastructure ages, the risks of water loss, costly emergency repairs and service disruptions increase. Oldcastle Infrastructure’s CivilSense™ platform offers a forward-thinking solution, providing the real-time data needed for intelligent water utility management. Implementing this technology is a clear, strategic process designed to deliver a rapid and substantial return on investment. With comprehensive support at every stage, your municipality can begin its journey toward a more efficient and secure water future.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Infrastructure and Define Your Goals
The initial phase of implementation involves a thorough evaluation of your existing water system and the clear definition of your objectives. This foundational step requires collaboration between your engineering and operations teams to map out the current infrastructure, pinpoint known problem areas and document existing leak detection procedures.
During this assessment, it is critical to answer several key questions:
- What is the current estimated rate of non-revenue water (NRW) within our system?
- Which specific areas of our network are likely to be most susceptible to failures or breaks?
- What are our primary water utility management goals for 2026 and the years to follow? For instance, do we aim to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) by 15% or decrease emergency repair incidents by 50%?
Answering these questions provides the baseline data needed to measure success and ensures the CivilSense™ implementation is aligned with your municipality’s specific strategic priorities.
Step 2: Use Our ROI Calculator for a Data-Driven Decision
To demonstrate the clear financial advantages of CivilSense™, Oldcastle Infrastructure provides a powerful ROI calculator. This tool is specifically designed to project the economic benefits for your municipality. By inputting data unique to your system — such as the cost of water treatment and distribution, average repair expenses and estimated water loss volumes — you can generate a detailed forecast of potential savings.
This data-driven analysis creates a compelling business case for presentation to stakeholders, council members and budget committees. It effectively shifts the conversation from viewing the system as a simple operational expense to recognizing it as a strategic investment with a transparent and measurable return. The projected savings in water, operational costs, and emergency expenditures highlight the long-term value CivilSense™ delivers.
Step 3: Collaborate with Oldcastle Infrastructure for a Custom Solution
Every water system presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Recognizing this, our team of experts works in close partnership with your municipality to develop a customized implementation plan tailored to your needs. This collaborative effort includes several key components:
- System Consultation: Our specialists will review your infrastructure assessment to recommend the optimal placement of sensors and the ideal system configuration for maximum effectiveness.
- Phased Rollout Planning: We can design a phased implementation strategy that prioritizes your highest-risk areas first. This approach allows you to realize immediate benefits and scale the system across your network over time, managing budget and resources efficiently.
- Comprehensive Training and Support: Oldcastle Infrastructure provides thorough training for your staff, ensuring they are fully prepared to utilize the platform’s advanced capabilities from day one. Our commitment to ongoing support guarantees you maximize the value of your investment for years to come.
With CivilSense™, municipalities are empowered to achieve new levels of efficiency and resilience in water utility management. This advanced technology, paired with the expertise and ongoing support from Oldcastle Infrastructure, opens doors to long-term sustainability, cost savings and a stronger community impact. As needs evolve and challenges grow, choosing a trusted partner dedicated to innovation and positive change remains essential for shaping a better future.
