Utilities today are having serious water loss issues, and now is the time to adopt an aggressive leak detection program. Utilities are ''losing" over 6 billion gallons of water each day, or at least, they are unable to account for it.

So where is this water going? Is the loss due to metering errors? Billing errors? Leakage?

The Puzzle Of Leak Detection And Water Loss:

A common question, "How much is it leaking?" The answer to that question can be a mystery. How do we find the answer?. You can think of your water losses as a puzzle to be solved. A puzzle must have identifiable pieces.

Earlier this decade, the American Water Works Association put out an article in their journal. That article introduced our industry to a new method for auditing and of identifying leakage as the grand piece of the Puzzle. Use the following formula:

Water Production (or Purchases) – Water Sales = Non-Revenue Water.

Non-Revenue Water comprises a Puzzle.

This is a three-piece puzzle:

1. Un-billed, authorized usage (normal cost of business water);

2. Apparent losses: metering errors, theft, billing error

3. Real losses (leakage, overflows).

Establishing Your Leak Detection Program:

As far as your selection of leak detection technology and methods, consider what can better help with reaching your baseline UARL and what will have the best return on investment.

Two options exist: One choice for metallic lines and one for non-metallic.

Non-Metallic Leak Detection:

Leaks make noise. You can create individual "zones" that can be isolated, creating one point of entry for the flow. Measuring the flow into a particular zone after exposing the main can help with isolating an area of high flow and possible leaking. Then every meter connection, hydrant and valve can be surveyed by acoustic means.

You can detect high flow areas by squeaking the valve, meaning to close it for several minutes, allowing any leaks in the zone to run, and then re-opening it slowly to a ¼ turn-size opening. If there is a leak in that zone the valve key will not stop vibrating. If it vibrates for only a short time, the zone most likely does not have a problem. Recently a development has been made in underground detection technology and there is not a highly advanced underground pipe locator, called The Innspector 07 which locates pipe, even non-metallic lines up to 25 ft deep.

Permanent pits have been created by some utilities for measuring, as part of an effective measure of leak detection.

Leak Detection For Metallic Pipes:

For metallic lines an acoustic leak detection survey is faster to do rather than using district measurements. DMAs(District Metered Areas) are often used in larger cities with older infrastructure. But DMA’s have proved to be more costly.

Furthermore, measuring DMA’s is a time-consuming, error-prone process often requiring corp stops, insertion meters or pilot rods, and multiple taps, and it is still necessary to use some sort of acoustic leak detection to find the leak itself.

Many detectors and technologies are used today in acoustic leak detection.

For information on the types of acoustic leak detectors which exists today, be sure to see the resource area and follow the links below.