Member Spotlight

María Humbelina Vallejo Aparicio, Commercial Services Deputy Director – Canal de Isabel II

Canal de Isabel II is a public company founded in 1851 that manages the integrated water cycle for the Madrid Region, serving over 7 million residents across 179 municipalities. The company oversees all stages of the water supply process — from catchment and treatment to distribution, sanitation, wastewater treatment, and reuse. Its infrastructure includes 13 reservoirs, 14 drinking water treatment plants, and more than 18,000 kilometers of distribution network, among other critical facilities.

Canal de Isabel II is majority-owned by the Regional Government of Madrid (82.32%), with additional ownership by the City Council of Madrid (10%) and 115 local municipalities (7.68%). Today, the company stands as a national and international benchmark in innovation, sustainability, and smart water management — including the deployment of one of Europe’s largest NB-IoT-based smart metering networks.

Smart metering can often be seen as a purely technical upgrade. Clearly, there’s more to the story. What’s one misconception you’d like to clear up about the true impact of smart metering on utility operations?

Smart metering goes far beyond simply replacing manual readings with remote data collection. It represents a fundamental shift in how utilities operate and engage with customers. First, the volume of data increases exponentially. Instead of bimonthly readings, we now receive hourly consumption data, offering a much more detailed and dynamic view of usage patterns.

Even more important is the near real-time access to this information, which enhances operational efficiency, supports faster decision-making, and enables early detection of anomalies such as leaks.

Above all, smart metering redefines our relationship with users. It creates a new level of transparency, empowers customers to better understand their consumption habits, and strengthens awareness of the true value of water.

Every smart meter tells a story. Can you share a surprising insight or unexpected benefit that emerged from your advanced metering data? One that helped improve service, efficiency, or customer trust?

We’re only beginning to uncover the full potential of smart metering, and its impact is proving far greater than we imagined, especially when it comes to building trust and creating meaningful connections with our customers.

One of the most valued services we now offer is an early leak detection alert. When our system detects unusual water consumption patterns that may indicate a leak inside a customer’s home, we proactively notify them. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many customers have told us that they now see Canal de Isabel II not just as a water provider, but as a partner who looks out for them.

The benefits go even further. We’re exploring how metering data can support public social services. For example, we’re developing a collaboration agreement with regional and local governments to use water consumption data as an additional tool in telecare programmes for elderly people living alone. A lack of water use over a certain period could signal that something may be wrong, triggering a welfare check. This initiative started as an optional alert service and it is now s evolving into a broader, coordinated effort to protect vulnerable citizens. A clear example of how smart metering can contribute to social wellbeing.

Ten years from now, what do you hope will be the new “normal” for customer engagement and commercial services in the water sector, thanks to smart metering and data-driven strategies?

In the next decade, I hope the new normal will mean fully real-time, personalised services built around predictive insights. With the support of AI and big data analytics, I envision a future where utilities can detect, and even predict, disruptions in water service before they happen, allowing us to alert customers in advance and mitigate impact.

More broadly, I believe we’ll see a shift toward more dynamic and targeted communication strategies. Instead of broad awareness campaigns, we’ll tailor messages to each customer based on their consumption patterns and local water availability. Imagine a system that can automatically adjust conservation messages during droughts, delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. That level of personalisation could dramatically improve public engagement and help ensure that not a single drop is wasted.

You presented at the recent SWAN Conference on Canal de Isabel II’s smart metering journey. What was your biggest takeaway from the event, not just from the stage, but from listening to others?

It was a true privilege to represent Canal de Isabel II at the 15th Annual SWAN Conference. Sharing our experience on stage was an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, howeverwhat truly stood out to me was the exchange of ideas offstage — listening to fellow professionals from around the world share their challenges, innovations, and lessons learned.

The event not only reaffirmed that Canal’s strategy is aligned with global best practices,t it also opened my eyes to emerging technologies and new ways of managing and visualising data. The SWAN Conference offered a valuable pause from day-to-day operations. A moment to gain perspective, renew inspiration, and return home with fresh ideas that can be applied to improve how we manage water in Madrid.

For young professionals looking to lead transformation in large, traditional organisations like Canal de Isabel II, what mindset or approach has served you best throughout your career?

Stay curious and never stop learning. That’s the mindset that has served me best. The water sector is evolving rapidly, and staying informed, and open, is key to bringing new ideas into your organisation.
Innovation always comes with challenges, however we can’t let fear of failure hold us back. Change requires effort, yes, and it also creates the space for progress.

And above all, believe in your abilities and trust the people you work with. Transformation isn’t a solo effort. It’s a shared mission. At the end of the day, what drives me, and what I hope drives every young professional, is the desire to deliver the best possible service to our customers. That sense of purpose is what makes the hard work worthwhile.