The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has launched LeakTracer, a statewide satellite-based leak detection program aimed at reducing water losses in rural drinking water systems. The initiative uses advanced remote sensing and artificial intelligence to help utilities identify hidden leaks more efficiently and support long-term water conservation efforts.
LeakTracer is delivered through a partnership with ASTERRA and McKim & Creed, combining L-band synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery with AI analytics to detect underground leaks that do not surface and are often missed by conventional inspection methods. Once potential leaks are identified, utilities can deploy field crews to verify and repair damaged infrastructure.
“LeakTracer is a game-changer for New Mexico’s rural drinking water systems, leveraging advanced technology to protect our state’s most critical resource,” said Environment Secretary James Kenney. “Guided by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 50-Year Water Action Plan, this program shows how New Mexico is proactively addressing climate impacts that threaten our water security.”
Water loss remains a persistent issue across the state. In some New Mexico systems, 40% to 70% of treated water is lost due to aging pipelines and hard-to-detect leaks, a challenge that is particularly acute for small utilities with limited financial and staffing capacity.
The LeakTracer program builds on a successful pilot phase completed in May 2025. Working with utilities in Truth or Consequences, Bernalillo, Cloudcroft, Timberon, and Tranquillo Pines, the effort identified more than 78 verified leaks and reduced water loss by up to 240 gallons per minute, saving an estimated 345,000 gallons per day during the first half of 2025.
Following these results, New Mexico awarded ASTERRA a four-year contract to expand the technology statewide. LeakTracer is available at no cost to eligible rural systems serving fewer than 20,000 people, with participating utilities responsible only for repair costs if leaks are confirmed.
“The state has been very generous to us by funding pipeline replacements and also helping us find leaks with ASTERRA, which is a game changer,” said Rolf Hechler, mayor of Truth or Consequences. “We used to find leaks the old-fashioned way, waiting for them to surface. Finding hidden leaks ahead of time saves us water, money, and time. It is a perfect solution.”
