Irapuato recovers 36.6 million pesos using satellite technology

The Irapuato Water, Drainage, Sewerage, and Sanitation Board (Japami) has recovered an estimated 36.6 million pesos by detecting and regularizing 61 clandestine water connections. The initiative utilized Aster, an Israeli technology designed to detect moisture irregularities through satellite imagery, which allows for the identification of illegal taps and invisible leaks.

Between August 2025 and 2026, the program reported the recovery of 5,792 cubic meters of water. Additionally, the technology identified 626 visible leaks, accounting for an annual loss of over 712 cubic meters. For these efforts, the municipality received the ICLEI Award for Sustainable Local Government in the water management category.