Water companies have been given the green light to increase bills for customers by an extra £3.4bn in coming years to meet increased pressures on infrastructure and the environment. Nearly a third of the extra funding provisionally approved for 13 water companies in England and Wales is earmarked for making sure water services are maintained. The rest will be used to meet rising demand from housebuilding and data centres and to address pollutants known as forever chemicals. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the proposal was real money out of family budgets at a time when they are struggling with the cost of living, and an environmental group described the decision as an insult. The regulator, Ofwat, said the extra spending would enable the firms to support growth and better environmental outcomes, and ensure important upgrades were not delayed.

A Texas company is using edge computing and IoT sensors to help cities modernize crumbling water infrastructure and inaccurate water meters. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the country's drinking water system a D- for the last 10 years. Many components of city water systems date back to the Civil War era. Olea Edge Analytics is using 21st century technology to spot needed repairs and make sure water bills are accurate. Dave Mackie, Olea Edge Analytics' CEO, said the company combines edge computing with artificial intelligence and machine learning to help cities make more informed decisions.