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Watch the full interview with Gareth Lees, CIO of BlueGrid Water Intelligence, to discover how real‑time sensing, metadata, and resilient infrastructure are reshaping utility operations. 

Read the full transcript below: 

Louise Crauet:
Hello everyone, I'm Louise, the programme lead for the World Water-Tech Innovation Summit happening in February. Today I am delighted to be joined by Gareth Lees, the CIO at BlueGrid Water Intelligence. Gareth, thanks for joining.

Gareth Lees:
Thank you, Louise. Thanks for the introduction.

Louise Crauet:
Great. So today I'd love to ask you a couple of questions about the company and your technology. We know that BlueGrid collects high-frequency and spatially rich information from across water networks. We'd love to know — how does this view translate into better and faster decision-making compared to traditional monitoring systems?

Gareth Lees:
Yeah, great question. BlueGrid isn’t just a monitoring tool. It’s the central nervous system for water networks. It combines real‑time sensing and secure data transmission to deliver a step change in how utilities manage their infrastructure. It turns the entire network into a super smart system.

Unlike traditional methods, such as spot checks or point sensors that provide spatially fragmented and time‑delayed data, BlueGrid offers a continuous, high‑resolution view of the entire network. It acts as both a distributed sensor — because the fibre can act as a sensor as well — and a high‑bandwidth data highway.

We can capture pressure, acoustic signals, water quality, and other third‑party sensor data continuously along the route and over time. This enables utilities to detect changes within seconds. With distributed acoustic sensing offered by the optical fibre, we can pinpoint events very accurately within meters. Operators can respond to anomalies in real time — whether it’s a pressure drop, water quality issue, or unauthorised intrusion.

Because BlueGrid is power‑independent and not reliant on cellular networks, it provides resilience against obsolescence issues — such as the 2G sunset — and power or battery failures, ensuring reliability where conventional sensors often fail.

Louise Crauet:
Great. And I remember that when we spoke before, you mentioned the importance of metadata rather than just raw data. For those less familiar, it would be great to understand what makes metadata so valuable for water utilities — and how it changes the way networks can be understood and managed.

Gareth Lees:
Absolutely. When we talk about metadata, we're talking about the context that turns raw data into actionable intelligence.

Raw data — like pressure spikes or leak alerts — only tells part of the story. Metadata adds the why, the where, and the what else. BlueGrid doesn’t just detect a leak; it enriches that alert with a timestamp, precise location, environmental conditions, nearby construction activity, and even the age of the pipe.

This context allows utilities to correlate events — for example, linking a pressure drop to nearby roadworks or seasonal demand spikes — and prioritise responses based on real-time risk, not just historical trends.

Metadata also powers predictive analytics. By combining leak data with soil moisture levels, weather forecasts, or asset condition, utilities can anticipate risks like landslips or pipeline failures before they escalate. This shifts the focus from fixing problems to preventing them — especially important as networks face mounting stress from climate change and urbanisation.

Metadata also supports secure, standardised data sharing. It’s not just about collecting data — it’s about connecting the dots to make smarter, faster decisions that save water, reduce costs, and future‑proof infrastructure.

Louise Crauet:
Right. And speaking of connecting the dots — we know smart water technologies are advancing quickly, yet adoption is sometimes still slow. What do you see as one of the biggest barriers to scaling solutions like BlueGrid? And what needs to happen to accelerate adoption?

Gareth Lees:
Good question. I think the biggest barrier to scaling solutions like BlueGrid isn’t the technology — it’s the need for a unified foundation to build future‑proof water networks.

Utilities today are overwhelmed by fragmented point solutions — acoustic loggers, smart meters, IoT devices — which create complexity and inefficiency. What’s needed is a single scalable framework, a backbone that integrates all these tools and evolves with network needs.

There are three main considerations:

First, upfront costs. These can slow adoption even when the long‑term value is clear. BlueGrid’s modular platform lets utilities phase deployments — starting with high‑risk zones, then expanding.

Second, skills gaps. These can be addressed through targeted training, intuitive dashboards, and now AI agents. Teams can upskill in under three months and turn real‑time data into actionable insights.

Finally, regulatory and planning reforms are increasingly pushing for integrated solutions. BlueGrid aligns with this by providing a secure private network that is future‑proof against issues like the 2G sunset, while supporting the development of smart digital infrastructure.

Louise Crauet:
Great. Thank you so much for sharing all of that. This is a great teaser ahead of the panel you’ll be joining on Smart Water Vision. We’re really looking forward to hearing more — and I hope those watching will join Gareth and the BlueGrid team at the summit in February.

See the Full Conversation — and Meet BlueGrid at World Water‑Tech

This interview is just a taste of the insights Gareth will be sharing during the Smart Water Vision panel at the summit. If you’re interested in the future of intelligent water networks, this is a discussion you won’t want to miss.