Anglian Water Trials New Water Leak Detection Technology
In a UK-first, utility company Anglian Water has begun trialling new technology to assist it in water leak detection and repair across its live water mains network, using multisensor low voltage conductivity and acoustic technology to find leaks in pipes.
High resolution closed circuit television is also being used to navigate inside the pipes themselves so that a thorough assessment of their condition can be carried out. What’s particularly unique about this trial is that the work required can be conducted in live water mains, which means that no interruption to customer supply is necessary.
This isn’t the first time that Anglian Water has been innovative in its approach to detecting water leaks. In 2017, it became the first water company in the UK to make use of thermal imaging drones to identify hard-to-find leaks and since then it has gone on to use satellite imagery, naval hydrophones and fibre optic technology to tackle leakage.
These new sensors work by measuring the variation of electricity that passes through the pipe wall. While it can’t pass through non-metallic pipe walls, it can pass through defects or leaks.
The bigger the defect, the bigger the electricity flow will be. And the technology is able to detect holes as small as a centimetre in diameter, as well as estimating water loss in litres per second.
Regional operational leakage manager James Hargrave said: “We are the first water company to use this type of pipe condition assessment and leak detection tool in live water mains in the UK – it’s another exciting step forward in our war against leakage.
“By being able to measure the amount of water lost, and the general condition of the main we can make the best decision on how to undertake the necessary repair, minimising any interruption to customer supply, local disruption and continuing our pledge to reduce leakage for the long term.”
He went on to say that the supplier has the lowest level of leakage in the sector at half the national average, which means they’re now in the position to be able to track down those leaks that are really hard to find.
Businesses can take a leaf out of Anglian’s book and take steps to find and repair leaks across their own sites, as well. A site audit can help reveal spikes in water use and consumption, which could indicate that there is such a problem somewhere on your premises – and once it’s discovered, the appropriate water-saving measures can then be introduced.
If you’d like to find out more about water audits and water conservation, get in touch with the team here at SwitchWaterSupplier.com to see how we can help. The added benefit of saving water is that you’ll be saving money, as well – so it really is a win-win!