India, ADB study Maynilad’s NRW practices

A delegation from the Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently visited Maynilad Water Services Inc. to study the company's non-revenue water (NRW) management and leak detection practices as part of efforts to strengthen water utility operations in South Asia.

Led by Saurabh Singh, deputy secretary of India's Department of Economic Affairs, the delegation joined technical sessions and field demonstrations conducted by the Maynilad Water Academy.

ADB cited Maynilad's approach to reducing non-revenue water as a useful reference for its capacity-building initiatives, highlighting the utility's integration of field operations, centralized monitoring, workforce training, and operational accountability.

During the visit, participants were introduced to Maynilad's NRW management system, including field-based acoustic leak detection, monitoring through the company's Central Control Room, workforce development, and operational accountability. The delegation also observed how the company's water loss reduction activities are carried out across its service area.

According to ADB, the visit could support future efforts to help South Asian water utilities learn from operational models adopted by large urban water systems facing persistent water losses and service reliability challenges.

ADB and the Maynilad Water Academy have partnered for several years on capacity-building initiatives, including technical training programs, learning sessions, and study visits for water utilities across the region.

The visit also opened discussions on possible follow-up initiatives, including technical exchanges, peer learning activities, and opportunities to share elements of MWA's training approach with utilities in India and other ADB member countries.