WATER supplier Thames Water has released further figures about how it is aiming to tackle leaks in the South East as summer droughts continue to hit.
Last month was the driest in England since records began 190 years ago according to the Met Office, and dry spells can cause the ground to shrink and move.
This puts additional pressure on underground pipes and increasing the risk of leaks and bursts.
Thames Water is currently fixing over 1,000 leaks a week and says it has reduced leakage across its network by more than 15% since 2019/2020.
In July this year, it reportedly found 88% more leaks than in July 2025, and is using artificial intelligence, satellite data, and tens of thousands of acoustic sensors to find and fix leaks.
It now has over 75,000 acoustic sensors deployed across its network–up from 21,000 in 2025–to help tackle underground leaks.
The technology has nearly doubled leak detection accuracy, the supplier reports.
This is because many leaks occur underground and can be challenging to find before the impact becomes ‘significant’.
Thames Water also uses an AI-driven leak detection solution that uses satellite data to identify leaks as part of a partnership with Origin Orbit.
Through this, it detects anomalies in the ground that indicate underground water leaks.
Satellites capture data that can identify moisture changes, temperature differences and soil disturbances, all of which are invisible to the human eye.
During the initial 19-week trial, Origin Orbit helped Thames Water identify over 800 leaks, saving an estimated 8.7 million litres of water per day, enough to fill more than three Olympic‑sized swimming pools every day.
Shane Gloster, Head of Leakage at Thames Water, said: “Finding and fixing leaks quickly is one of the most important ways we can protect water supplies during prolonged dry weather, alongside asking customers to continue following temporary use restrictions.
“A huge proportion of our leaks are never seen by customers, as they are underground and hard to find.
“To repair these as quickly as we can, it is vital that we use the latest innovative technology available.
“Deploying a combination of advanced technologies gives a faster and more accurate indication of where the network has issues, enabling us to work more efficiently in our pursuit of bringing down water loss.”
Thames Water Director of Delivery for London Infrastructure Mark Taylor said: “The effects of population growth and climate change are putting increased pressure on Thames Water’s ageing water pipes.
“We are currently carrying out the biggest upgrade to our infrastructure in 150 years, and this work will deliver real benefits for customers – reducing bursts, cutting water loss and helping to lessen disruption from ongoing repairs and maintenance.”
