Bridging the Gap in Water Sustainability: A Novel Framework for Non‐Revenue Water Knowledge Enhancement

ABSTRACT Despite the global efforts for water sustainability, the issue of non‐revenue water (NRW) remains a significant impediment. This research aims to expand the comprehension of NRW through a bibliometric approach. Specifically, it seeks to examine the current knowledge structure surrounding NRW, analyse the prevailing trends and directions in NRW research and develop a novel framework for NRW knowledge enhancement. This research encompasses 256 articles sourced from the Web of Science database. Utilizing bibliographic coupling and co‐word analysis, the study meticulously examines the collected data. These methodologies serve as the foundation for the development of the NRW enhancement framework. The investigation identified four clusters within each analytical method. The bibliographic coupling network map reveals four dimensions of NRW, factors of NRW, tools and measures to reduce NRW, utility water loss and leakage control and water efficiency control. In contrast, the co‐word network map highlights maintaining NRW, water distribution network (WDN) lifecycle, managing real losses within WDN and managing NRW and WDN. The novel framework synthesizes these clusters, offering examples and suggesting future research avenues to enrich NRW knowledge and bolster water sustainability. It advocates for the adoption of the framework to achieve water sustainability and enhance NRW management, particularly in regions grappling with significant real and apparent losses in WDNs. This study enriches the existing literature by broadening the understanding of NRW among researchers, practitioners and policymakers. The developed framework not only illuminates the current state of NRW knowledge but also serves as a guide for future, more in‐depth research endeavours.