Abstract: A method for operating a water treatment plant comprises a phase of detecting anomalies in the operation of the plant, wherein the phase of detecting anomalies comprises an implementation of the following measures: providing data representative of the operating state of the plant, said data being provided by sensors installed at selected locations in the plant itself or on input or output pipes of the plant; where appropriate, providing additional data; and providing a system for acquiring and processing these data, this system being equipped with an algorithm for processing said data.