By Mary Velan
Gov1
A constant dripping or dribbling of water from a pipe can be more than just a little annoying. A leak of any size can lead to a variety of problems - big and small. Sometimes a persistent leak left unnoticed will create significant water damage in a home that can be expensive to repair. Other times a water leak can occur on a larger scale and present a threat to the integrity of municipal buildings or infrastructure, as well as carry a high price tag for water waste and repairs.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of municipal leaders to be aware of any leaks and address them promptly using leak detection technology.
Rising Demand
According to the latest research, the global water pipeline leak detection market is primed to grow by 11 percent at a compound annual growth rate through 2020. The predicted increase for the next few years is the result of rising concern over water conservation and booming demand for efficient leak detection systems. As the price of pipeline maintenance and replacement continues to climb for governments facing environmental challenges such as droughts, many municipalities are turning to leak detection measures to avoid unnecessary water loss. The 11 percent CAGR through 2020 is projected based on the robust expansion plans of new pipeline projects and water treatment plants, as well as pressure on local governments to replace aging, inefficient water infrastructure.
How Leaks Impact Cities
A leaking pipeline can occur anywhere. Of course certain environmental factors may place greater threats on water infrastructure - such as extreme hot or cold temperatures. Over time, however, most pipelines will start to deteriorate and require more frequent maintenance just to function. This can be costly as well a dangerous. If a pipeline bursts, the cleanup can be quite extensive - impacting infrastructure, the local economy and residential quality of life.
Challenge of Detection
In Flandreau, South Dakota, a persistent water leak was recently recognized throughout the community. While water waste was found in different sections of the pipeline, the Big Sioux Community Water System eventually identified the main source of the leak near the Big Sioux River crossing. Before the leak was discovered, Flandreau was losing an estimated 100,000 gallons of water a day, Moody County Enterprise reported.
While the amount of water being lost on a daily basis is significant, the leak was not obvious to local water officials. While the water system was able to detect a growing different between the water going into the city and the amount actually being used by customers, there were no clear signs of a leak. The water being released from the pipes was deep underground and never surfaced, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact spot where the main leak has sprung, Moody County Enterprise reported.
As a result, Flandreau deployed sophisticated leak detection equipment to determine the exact problem areas throughout the pipeline where water leakage was most prevalent. By using the technology, city water officials are able to utilize manpower and resources more effectively when performing repairs quickly. Local water officials attribute extreme cold weather to the extensive leak problems plaguing Flandreau and other communities in the region, Moody County Enterprise reported.
Rising Water Bills
Residents of Park City, Utah, have been confronting the municipal water department about their higher-than-expected water bills for nearly six years - and the water department is happen to hear their complaints. Starting in 2008, Park City realized that reading water meters and drafting bills was very time inefficient. In 2010, the city decided to upgrade all its water customers to an advanced metering infrastructure system that keeps customers informed of any potential leaks triggering the sensitive technology, Route Fifty reported.
The city not only wanted to proactively monitor its pipe system for suspected leaks, but also provide an automated system that notifies customers of leaks through a user-friendly portal. The city adopted a water metering technology that generates hourly water usage data to all customers. High-volume leak notifications are sent to customers if certain usage thresholds are surpassed, such as a single-family residence using 80 gallons of water per hour over the course of a day. Low-volume leak notifications are also delivered indicating a different kind of threat to pipeline integrity when one gallon of water is used over a week’s time, Route Fifty reported.
Within the first three months of deploying the system, Park City reported 150 leaks detecting, 70 percent of which were closed within 10 days after first being notified of the leak. This impressive result was important to Park City residents. Utah, like many western states, are dealing with drought conditions and must conserve available water supplies. The state set a goal of reducing water usage by 20 percent by 2025 compared to the amount used in 2000. Park City hopes the leak detection technology will enable the community to meet this objective while also protecting properties from costly water damage, Route Fifty reported.
Old Pipes
Many major cities across the country have intricate water systems that have been in place for many, many years. In Philadelphia, the water system is responsible for pumping 250 million gallons of water each day from nearby rivers to a dense population of customers. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Water Department is dealing with pipelines that are more than 200 years old and leaking roughly 60 million gallons of water daily thanks to thousands of leaks throughout the pipe network, Newsworks reported.
Furthermore, there is water that reaches customers but is not paid for through the system, creating a total water loss of nearly 40 percent of the city’s drinking water supply. The leaking, aging infrastructure is costing Philadelphia customers an estimated $50 million annually in lost revenue and avoidable maintenance costs, while also wasting the same amount of power as it would take to run 4,000 homes, Newsworks reported.
Philadelphia has tried to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to leak detection and prevention. In 2000, it became the first U.S. city to adopt a water audit program that many other municipalities have since tried to emulate. Despite being an early adopter of water conservation efforts, Philadelphia has the third highest water leakage rate among the 50 largest cities in the Delaware River Basin, Newsworks reported.
This is mostly due to Philadelphia’s 200-year-old pipe system. While there are instances of massive leaks that gush thousands of gallons of water per minute until they are fixed, Philadelphia’s real challenge is identifying and patching the thousands of small leaks throughout the community that are nearly impossible to detect. This is where the city’s advanced leak detection has come into play to more effectively pinpoint water waste on a smaller scale, Newsworks reported.