Preparing Water Infrastructure for High-Stakes Events
By Michael Casey
Account Executive: Digital Water Solutions at Oldcastle Infrastructure
Picture this: your city is hosting a major international event, expected to generate millions in economic impact. Municipal leaders have spent months — maybe even years — preparing. Then it happens: a water main breaks. Streets and businesses flood. Boil water advisories are issued. Hotels shut down. The event is thrown into chaos. All while thousands of visitors and members of the media bear witness — and post every moment on social media.
This is a potential risk facing cities across North America as they prepare for upcoming mega-events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympics. In 2024, the World Travel & Tourism Council estimated that travel and tourism contributed $2.6 trillion to the U.S. economy — making infrastructure stability a high-stakes priority.
Cities are investing heavily in upgrades: improving public transit, landscaping parks, enhancing security, and installing signage. But what about the vast infrastructure beneath our feet? Are the water pipes that support daily life — and major events — being properly assessed and prepared?
The Cost of Ignoring What’s Underground
Aging U.S. water infrastructure poses a major threat to transportation, economic activity and essential services. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 2025 Infrastructure Report Card, the U.S. experiences approximately 240,000 water main breaks each year, costing $2.6 billion in repairs and maintenance.
In total, the U.S. has more than two million miles of underground pipes, many of which were installed after World War II, with a projected lifespan of 75 years. Nearly 20% of water mains have exceeded their useful life, and the results are troubling: more than six billion gallons of treated drinking water is lost every day in the U.S., the equivalent of the water held in 9,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This loss contributes to an economic impact of $187 billion each year.
Upgrading this system comes with a steep price tag. ASCE estimates that $625 billion will be needed over the next two decades to maintain and repair the drinking water infrastructure nationwide, a massive investment challenge, as many municipalities already struggle with tight budgets. Even more concerning is that nearly 70% of utilities lack a comprehensive asset management plan, limiting their ability to plan proactively and guide long-term investments.
Why Cities Need a Smarter Approach
City leaders and water utility managers know they can’t rip out and replace every pipe all at once. The answer lies in a proactive, data-driven approach that prioritizes repairs, prevents failures, and allocates budgets wisely.
If utility teams had Superman’s X-ray vision, identifying leaks and weak points would be easy. But in the real world, they need technology that can offer similar insights — without breaking the pavement.
That’s where Oldcastle Infrastructure’s CivilSense™ helps amplify the expertise of your team. Strategic use of AI doesn’t eliminate the value of human expertise. It enhances it, freeing up skilled staff to focus on critical tasks while automated tools manage routine monitoring, data gathering, and analysis. Additionally, promoting advanced digital solutions helps municipalities attract new talent, positioning the water sector as both innovative and forward-thinking.
Introducing CivilSense™: AI for Smarter Water Management
CivilSense™ is a next-generation water asset management solution that combines cutting-edge AI technology, field inspection, and advanced analytics to detect and address water infrastructure risks before they become disasters.
Backed by decades of Oldcastle Infrastructure expertise, CivilSense™ technology has unmatched accuracy — powered by AI trained on more than 2.3 million data points — enabling repair crews to prioritize efforts effectively.
The platform combines real-time AI data analysis with GIS mapping, historical infrastructure data, and climate insights to high-risk pipeline segments before failures occur. Acoustic sensors are then strategically installed across targeted areas to collect real-time information, which is validated by field inspectors and analyzed to prioritize repairs based on factors like leak severity, pipe material and diameter, and proximity to critical zones.
With an industry-leading 93% leak detection accuracy, CivilSense™ gives water utility managers the ability to:
- Pinpoint problems before they escalate
- Accelerate repair timelines
- Optimize limited budgets
- Enhance long-term reliability and system performance
With predictive AI, CivilSense™ analyzes large, complex network datasets, giving CivilSense™ unmatched precision in targeting the biggest risks and helping cities make the smartest use of their infrastructure dollars.
One major city’s water system includes thousands of miles of aging pipes, some more than a century old. In recent years, it has experienced major water main breaks and public service disruptions that underscore the urgency of modernizing its water infrastructure.
Recognizing the challenge, the city has launched a plan to overhaul the system by embracing technology like leak detection devices and AI-powered monitoring systems to stay ahead of failures and maintain essential water service for residents, businesses, and event organizers alike.
This proactive approach offers a model for other cities preparing for high-profile events. Water may not be the most visible part of the infrastructure equation — but when it fails, it makes headlines.
The Bottom Line: Preparing for Events Starts Below Ground
Cities vying to host the world’s biggest events are already spending millions to create a world-class experience. But without reliable water infrastructure, even the best-laid plans can unravel.
Investing in cutting-edge technology like CivilSense™ allows municipalities to detect problems before they surface, reduce costly emergency repairs, and ensure uninterrupted service for residents and visitors alike.
About Michael Casey:
Michael Casey is a seasoned account executive with extensive experience in AI/ML solutions for the water industry. Michael is currently focused on solving water loss issues with next generation IoT sensors and advanced analytics to predict and prevent catastrophic main breaks and service disruptions.
About CivilSense™
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s CivilSense™ is an advanced water infrastructure management platform that leverages artificial intelligence, predictive analysis, and real-time data to proactively detect and address leaks before they escalate into emergencies. With a market-leading accuracy rate of 93%, CivilSense™ enables municipalities to transition from reactive maintenance to strategic, data-driven asset management, effectively reducing water loss and associated costs. By integrating multi-source data—including GIS, infrastructure, and climate insights—CivilSense™ identifies high-risk pipeline segments, allowing for targeted interventions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of water systems. This innovative solution empowers communities to safeguard their water resources, minimize service disruptions, and optimize infrastructure investments.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH company, is a leading provider of engineered building solutions across North America. With nearly 80 manufacturing facilities and a workforce of over 4,000 employees, the company delivers a comprehensive portfolio of more than 16,000 products, including precast concrete, polymer concrete, and plastic components. These solutions serve critical sectors such as water, energy, communications, and transportation, supporting the development and maintenance of essential infrastructure.
Committed to sustainability and innovation, Oldcastle Infrastructure aligns its operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on responsible consumption, climate action, and the advancement of sustainable communities. As part of CRH plc, one of the world’s largest building materials companies, Oldcastle Infrastructure combines global resources with local expertise to deliver reliable, high-quality solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern infrastructure projects.
