Hunter Water is trialling new technology aimed at helping staff to detect changes in water pressure and identity leaks soon after they occur.

Louth Park is one of two locations where Internet of Things (loT) devices will be used over the next 12 months as a trial.

The devices offer data science and acoustic monitoring technology which keeps track of the water pressure and flow.

That means staff can detect a leak earlier before it turns into a break in the water main.

This is the first time Hunter Water has pursued a digital innovation trial.

Hunter Water's Chief Information and Technology Officer Richard Harris said the trial was expected to revolutionise the way water pressure and flow was monitored.

"This is a first-of-its-kind digital innovation project for Hunter Water," he said.

"Intelligent networks will help transform the way we do business, driving better outcomes for our customers and community.

"These devices, combined with the use of advanced analytics, will enable us to monitor the water flow and pressure in real-time, giving us greater visibility of how the system is performing.

"Having that visibility will allow us to more quickly find and respond to breaks if they occur, particularly those in remote locations.

"We'll also be undertaking acoustic monitoring in Louth Park and Glendale. This technology will allow us to listen for water leaks in our network and will alert us if a leak is getting worse."

Mr Harris said the trial was possible thanks to the collaboration of various sections of the business.

"Leaks can sometimes be a precursor to a water main break, so the sooner we find leaks, the sooner we can fix them and minimise any potential impact on our customers and community," he said.

"It will also assist our field crews in their active leak detection work to find and fix leaks that would previously go undetected.

Hunter Water will eagerly monitor the trial and if it is successful it will look to expand the approach into other parts of the network.

It has already reduced leakage by 20 per cent over the past two years.