10 Year Project to Reduce Water Leakage in India
Uses Acoustic Technology Paired with Advanced AI
Gap Inc. is the first apparel company to join a worldwide multi-stakeholder effort to reduce water wastage using AI.
Under a new agreement with FIDO Tech, Gap Inc. will fund the use of powerful FIDO AI to rapidly reduce leakage across 350km of water pipeline networks in Bengaluru, India (AKA Bangalore) for 10 years.
FIDO AI accurately analyses acoustic sensor data to detect the largest and most often hidden leaks in underground water pipelines. Reducing leakage from utility infrastructure can be a key factor in improved community water resilience in water scarce areas. The latest project uses an award-winning partnership model called FIDO Plus which unites multiple stakeholders to contribute to rapid, transparent and long-term improvements in local water resilience.
Gap Inc. will support the deployment of FIDO AI on pipelines in the state of Karnataka in southern India because of its importance to the global apparel supply chain and its challenges with water resilience. Similar FIDO Plus projects have proven their effectiveness in the UK, US and Mexico, with several more in the planning stages. Gap Inc.’s project is FIDO’s first in India.
“Water resilience is a critical issue both for Gap Inc. and for the communities in which we operate. The collaboration between Gap Inc. and FIDO has the potential to significantly improve water resilience for communities, industries, and ecosystems in a region that faces growing demand and limited supply, and is fundamental to our efforts to bridge the climate gap in the context of our supply chain,” said Dan Fibiger, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Gap Inc.
Victoria Edwards, Co-founder & CEO of FIDO Tech, said: “Water stress affects families, businesses, livelihoods and the environment, and places like Bengaluru are on the front line. Forward-thinking companies like Gap Inc. can have a hugely positive and lasting impact. By using their skills and resources to help accelerate the adoption of new technologies like FIDO AI they contribute not just to immediate water replenishment; they help improve institutional capacity in utilities for the benefit of all consumers. I am delighted to be working with such a talented team.”
Gap Inc. is the latest global corporation supporting FIDO Plus partnerships in stressed global watersheds. Others include Microsoft, Meta and Coca Cola, who between them support projects in the UK, US and Mexico.
About FIDO AI and non-revenue water
Non-revenue water (NRW), of which leakage is a major part, is an important cause of water stress, and because leaks often don’t appear above ground finding them can be a headache for over stretched utilities. The World Bank estimates that around 30% of the world’s water is lost in this way, although the percentage varies widely across utilities.
FIDO is one of the sector’s most sophisticated AI solutions, with the unique distinction of being able to identify leaks and, most importantly, rank them by size, even in the noisiest networks, and regardless of pipe material or condition.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc., a house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet. Gap Inc. products are available worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Fiscal year 2024 net sales were $15.1 billion. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
About FIDO Tech
FIDO is a UK-based global technology company using deep learning from its vast curated water data sets to rapidly improve global water management and community water resilience at scale. Its AI is the only technology which can find leaks and other water events occurring on any pipeline network in real time and rank them by size for effective prioritization. Its results are verified using volumetric water benefit accounting, a global water stewardship standard, and it is now used in five continents, with offices in the UK and the US. For more information visit www.fido.tech.
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