U.S. water utilities to invest $8.3 billion in IoT in next decade

U.S. water utilities expect to invest $8.3 billion in smart infrastructure over the next ten years, according to a study of Washington, DC-based smart infrastructure market intelligence firm Northeast Group. According to the study, municipal water infrastructure in the country is aging and in need of significant modernization. The report also highlighted that many water utilities have little data on their distribution network operations and still rely on manual meter reading for billing. Our survey results show that water infrastructure in the U.S is modernizing, but utilities still have not taken full advantage of the technology they have available to them to improve operations and maximize efficiency,” said Ben Gardner, president of Northeast Group. “Smart metering and other sensors with two-way communications can help a sector in great need of modernization. These investments will grow, especially as cities look to integrate water infrastructure with broader smart city and internet of things (IoT) initiatives.