Coverage of the domestic drinking water supply stands at 99.7%, yet the sector's critical issue today is not the existence of the supply, but the extent and manageability of network losses. Replacing the entire network is a multi-decade program costing thousands of billions of forints however, localizing and mitigating losses does not depend on the pace of replacement. This is precisely where the stakes of digitalization lie.
THE SITUATION IN NUMBERS
According to MaVíz (Hungarian Water Utility Association) data, the estimated network loss in 2024 was 138.8 million cubic meters, with an average commercial/sales loss of 24.5%. This means nearly a quarter of the supplied drinking water does not reach consumers as intended. The consequence is not only a significant economic loss but also an increasingly severe problem for drinking water security: recent, more frequent heatwaves and temporary water restrictions introduced in several municipalities have highlighted that every lost cubic meter of water reduces available supplies and increases the vulnerability of the supply system. Part of the loss stems from measurement and administrative causes (apparent loss), while a significant portion is physical leakage. Its distribution is highly uneven: according to an analysis based on Water Coalition (Víz Koalíció) data, losses exceed 60% in 61 systems, with the highest documented value reaching 72.79% (Védelemtudomány, 2024). Expert estimates value the annual public money equivalent of non-revenue water at 19–21.5 billion forints.
Behind this lies a structural cause: an aging network and under-dimensioned reconstruction. Achieving a sustainable state would require replacing approximately 2,000 kilometers of pipes annually; the actual rate is a fraction of this (on the order of 350 km), stretching the renewal cycle over centuries. The failure rate is rising—the number of defects per kilometer more than doubled between 2012 and 2017 (MaVíz)—and state estimates point to roughly 40,000 kilometers of pipelines due for replacement. The impact of individual leaks is far from negligible: at normal operating pressure, a 1 mm crack loses about 500 cubic meters of water per year, while a 3 mm crack loses nearly 4,200 cubic meters.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF DIGITALIZATION
Loss reduction is not a one-off intervention, but an ongoing, measurement-based operational practice. Its backbone consists of four interconnected elements:
- Network water balance and District Metered Areas (DMA). By dividing the network into metered zones, input and billed volumes can be compared per zone; losses can be quantified geographically, and real losses can be distinguished from apparent losses. This establishes the order of priority for all subsequent steps.
- Nighttime Minimum Night Flow (MNF)-based leakage estimation. Flow data during minimum consumption periods serve as indicators of background leakage and hidden bursts; their trend signals a zone's deteriorating condition even before a visible pipe break occurs, guiding active leakage detection.
- Pressure management. Regulated optimization of pressure per zone simultaneously reduces background network losses, pipe burst frequency, and the energy demand of pumping stations. A domestic implementation published by MaVíz (the regional system of ÉDV Zrt.) documents precisely this combined effect.
- Real-time operational monitoring and event management. Anomaly detection based on telemetry and SCADA immediately alerts operators to sudden changes in flow and pressure conditions, reducing reaction time to pipe bursts by an order of magnitude.
These four elements form a closed loop: measurements pinpoint intervention areas, the impact is remeasured, and loss data serves as an objective basis for prioritizing reconstruction. Digitalization does not replace pipe replacement; instead, it directs limited resources toward the measurably worst sections.
THE ROLE OF CONTROLSOFT
Data is the common denominator of these four pillars: the quality of loss management depends on whether field measurements are reliable, flow into a unified system, and translate into actionable operational decisions. Controlsoft operates within this layer—integrating measurement, telemetry, and process control (SCADA) across both water and wastewater applications:
- Field measurement and data collection architecture at wells, pump stations, and zone boundaries, delivering real-time, consistent, and retrievable data.
- Integration of heterogeneous, multi-generational PLCs and instruments into a single, manageable SCADA system, leveraging the existing hardware base.
- Pressure management implemented as a regulated, automated control function rather than an ad-hoc, manual intervention.
- Processing data into decision-support information: zone balances, MNF trends, and anomaly alerts formatted for practical use in dispatch operations.
- Data analytics using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Analytics built on continuously collected time-series measurement data—recognizing anomaly patterns, narrowing down probable leak locations, and providing recommendations for pressure and operational settings—add substantial value where reliable, long-term datasets are available. AI does not replace measurement or professional decision-making; rather, it accelerates evaluation and improves target precision for interventions.
Implementation always begins with a condition assessment—identifying the existing measurement and control architecture as well as missing monitoring points—followed only then by system design.
OUTLOOK
The reconstruction wave has begun: in February 2025, a decree set targets for reducing network loss, and loss indicators are now part of the resilience assessments for critical infrastructures. Renewing the network remains a multi-decade endeavor; however, making losses visible and manageable can begin in the short term using existing tools.