Yamagata Prefecture's Higashine City Waterworks and Sewerage Department Adopts "Space Water Bureau" DX Solution Utilizing Satellite Data and AI for Sustainable Water Management

Tenchijin Inc., a JAXA-certified space venture, has contracted with Higashine City Waterworks and Sewerage Department in Yamagata Prefecture for the "Space Water Bureau" solution. This solution utilizes satellite data and AI to support sustainable water utility operations. Japan faces challenges with aging water infrastructure, including frequent large-scale leaks. Approximately 25.3% (189,000 km) of Japan's water pipelines exceed their legal service life, according to the Japan Water Works Association (Reiwa 5th year statistics). Traditional inspection and repair methods are costly and difficult to implement widely and quickly. Higashine City aims for "safe and delicious water for the future," focusing on safety, resilience, sustainability, and environment. The city conducts regular water quality inspections and plans seismic reinforcement for critical pipelines and renewal of aging facilities. "Space Water Bureau" enhances leak detection efficiency and promotes DX in water operations. Higashine City expects the solution to improve ground survey accuracy, narrow down investigation targets, and aid in selecting seismic reinforcement locations and reviewing renewal plans. "Space Water Bureau" was launched in April 2023 and has been adopted by over 50 municipalities as of September 2025. Its features include meter-level leak risk diagnosis using satellite data and support for creating pipeline renewal plans based on "soundness" and "importance" with multiple scenarios. The solution integrates municipal data with satellite technology to provide new insights into leak risk.