Tech On Tap: Liu Works to Minimize Water Loss

The University of Arizona has an active research community working on solutions to the flood of water problems facing our world. That's one of the many reasons the UA was selected as No. 1 in water resources globally by the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Among those researchers diving into the grand challenges of water conservation is associate professor Jian Liu. He has collaborated with professor Kevin Lansey in the UA Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics to develop a pressure-monitoring technique able to detect and locate pipe breaks in complex water distribution systems in real time. The system can be installed on existing meters and has applications in agricultural, municipal, residential and commercial water management.

Liu and Lansey are working with Tech Launch Arizona, the UA office that commercializes inventions stemming from research, to bring their invention to market.