With this year’s focus being on restoring earth, World Earth Day serves as a timely reminder for us to celebrate our planet and take united action to protect it. Earth is the only planet (that we know of) with an abundance of the necessary resources to sustain life, so the progress of the human race is inextricably linked to the health of our planet.

In recent years, we have witnessed a startling deterioration in our natural resources, and in turn the overall health of our planet. One of the most precious resources where the impact of climate change is felt is water. Water is at the heart of our existence, and critical to every aspect of our survival. However, unsustainable practices such as mismanagement of water and non-revenue water loss have exacerbated the strain on an already overstretched and scarce resource.

Utilities worldwide report that more than 40% of clean water is lost due to non-revenue water – water that has been produced and is "lost" before it reaches the customer. The time to act is now, and it is our shared responsibility to collaborate and restore the blue to our planet. How do we go about doing this? The answer lies in innovation – only by forming a cohesive relationship between innovation and technology can we safeguard resources and regenerate our earth.

For example, smart water meters empower utility providers with real time data on water consumption, and allow them to conduct analysis in order to have complete knowledge of how the distribution network is performing. Reliable and actionable data leads to loss reduction and amplifies conservation efforts by enabling utilities and citizens to track consumption, and alert providers the second there is a potential leak in the system.

At Xylem, everything we do revolves around water and we are committed to advancing smart water technologies –something that can go a long way to creating a sustainable, water secure world for all.

About the author: Francois Frigaux is Regional Director, Sensus, a Xylem brand