Apr. 20, 2026Marubeni Corporation
A Marubeni project, “Republic of Moldova (hereinafter, “Moldova”) Feasibility Study on the Introduction of Digitalization in Water Utility Management and Non-Revenue Water Reduction Services” (hereinafter, the “project”) has been selected for the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project (Small-Scale Demonstrations)” subsidy in the FY2024 supplementary budget. The project aims to reduce non-revenue water* (NRW) in the water supply operations of Chișinău municipality, Moldova, and to contribute to sustainable water utility management.
Background and SignificanceIn Moldova and other Eastern European countries, water leakage and damage caused by aging water pipelines are major issues, and the NRW rate** is estimated to be at a high level. Additionally, detecting leaks in underground water pipelines requires a great deal of time and labor, making it difficult to accurately assess the state of NRW and hindering the identification of issues and analysis of factors for improving the NRW rate. Against this backdrop, improving the sustainability of water supply operations, which are indispensable to people’s lives, requires first advancing the assessment and analysis of the current situation. It is also vital to focus on proper management of distribution systems and meters and improving the efficiency of leak detection.
Project OverviewMarubeni, together with its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Portuguese water and wastewater company AGS - Administração e Gestão de Sistemas de Salubridade, S.A. (hereinafter, “AGS”), and IT service company AQUASIS – Sistemas de Informação, S.A. (hereinafter, “AQUASIS”), has been developing and implementing digital solutions utilizing AI and machine learning for predicting deterioration of water pipelines and identifying leakage areas through monitoring flow and water pressure inside pipelines in various countries, including Japan. In this project, Marubeni, with AGS and AQUASIS as co-applicants, will verify the applicability of NRW countermeasures utilizing digital solutions owned by the Marubeni Group for S.A. “Apă Canal Chișinău,” the water and wastewater corporation of Chișinău municipality (hereinafter, “Apa Canal Chisinau”), and will identify issues and formulate countermeasures.
Future OutlookMarubeni provides water services to approximately 16.6 million people worldwide. In Eastern Europe, through AGS, it also implemented a performance-based NRW reduction project in Romania, funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Through the project, Marubeni will contribute to the development of sustainable water infrastructure in Moldova and continue to address challenges faced by water utilities around the world.
* The volume of water lost or stolen in the distribution network from the water supply source to the end customer, which does not generate sales. The less NRW, the better a water system is considered to be properly managed. ** The ratio of water distributed by water utilities that does not generate income as revenue.
AGS Overview
AQUASIS Overview
Apa Canal Chisinau Overview
