Turkish student wins ‘Nobel of Water’ with AI-powered leak detection system

ISTANBUL

A 17-year-old Turkish high school student, Kağan Mehmet Özkök, has earned the "Diploma of Excellence" at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize — often dubbed the "Nobel of Water" — for his AI-powered sound sensor that detects water leaks.

Özkök, a 12th grader from the southern city of Gaziantep, was motivated by concern over the global water crisis and its impact on human life and ecosystems.

His sense of urgency deepened when he saw the Alleben Pond, a place he often visited with his family as a child, dry up.

After about 18 months of research and testing, he created WAGUSE, a faucet sensor that uses sound signal processing and artificial intelligence to identify leaks.

He first won the Turkish Junior Water Prize organized by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), which qualified him for the international competition.

In Stockholm, Özkök presented his project to a jury, competing against 57 students from 37 countries.

When he heard his project had won the "Diploma of Excellence" in Sweden, he couldn’t hold back his tears.

“Receiving the prize from Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was an unforgettable moment,” he recalled.

According to Özkök, the device works in homes, public restrooms, hospitals and airports and can detect even the smallest drops. It can also send alerts within seconds.

“Even in a noisy environment, the system distinguishes leak sounds from background noise and sends a warning to our mobile application,” Özkök said. “For example, in a hospital, it can notify staff: ‘Leak detected at the first faucet in the second-floor men’s restroom.’”

Following his national success, Özkök met Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin, who offered support to install the system in public buildings.

He is now preparing 30 prototypes for a pilot program that will measure how much water can be saved.

He also has further ambitions.

“The next stage is to develop a version that monitors leaks in pipelines,” he said, adding that he is applying to universities abroad. “I believe this achievement in Stockholm will help me get into a good program.”