What steps can you take to detect water leaks earlier?

Traditionally, utilities, mainly in Europe, deal with their water losses by using a combination of operational systems (e.g. SCADA), specialised hardware (e.g. noise logger) and manual localisation work.

Public perception, specifically reports from the community about water emerging on the surface, also comes into play.

Generally, the identification of a leak starts with the analysis of the so-called minimum night flows (MNFs). Here, utility company employees use data from their SCADA system and look at water flows at night between about 2 and 4a.m.

The assumption: most people are asleep at this time, and thus water consumption should be minimal. If the water level increases during this period or is unusually high, it can be inferred that there is an unusual factor – mostly a leak.

Then the work of localisation begins. Residents in the zone are contacted, more attention is paid to public reports or employees drive around the affected area.

Another very elaborate but effective method is manual localisation: specialised hardware is installed in the affected area and the water sounds are identified. Then, valves are opened and closed until the site is located. Especially in larger or more branched water networks, this means a high manual effort.

The detection of leaks often takes weeks to months and it is not uncommon for several employees to try to locate the leak over several nights.

Reducing water losses digitally and data-based

Data collection and evaluation are at the heart of a future-proof infrastructure. Many of the steps mentioned above for identifying, quantifying and locating water losses can be supported, or even replaced, by data science and artificial intelligence methods.

One example is the use of smart meters as data providers in combination with the internal data of municipal services. The combination of data collected in one place, which could be AI-enhanced analysis software with a mapping interface, will then enable early identification of leaks in order to react as quickly as possible and keep losses as low as possible.

But that’s not all: Besides identification (“There is a water loss”) and quantification (“Prediction of water loss in cubic meters per day”), a data-based, automated system also reduces the manual effort for the search.

And this is where the added value of a map, representing the water network divided into district metering areas, comes into its own. In a data analysis tool, the interface must be simple and intuitive. It’s easy to imagine how such a tool could be used every morning by the technical team to assess the state of the network at a glance and plan the priority actions to be taken.

A digital, data-based tool thus continuously analyses and monitors the condition of the water network and alerts employees to problems – targeted and prioritised. While large amounts of data are processed and analysed in the background, utilities can focus on what is important: Maintaining infrastructure and providing enough high-quality water.

A very simple way to proactively counter the future of water scarcity and take control of one’s water network.

To find out more about data monitoring and analysis software for detecting water leaks, click here

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About Diehl Metering

Diehl Metering is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and supply of smart metering solutions. With over 150 years of experience, we empower utilities, municipalities and industries to take control of their infrastructures, bringing greater efficiency, sustainability and responsibility to the way they manage water and energy.

Our extensive range of services and solutions includes data-driven insights, IoT connectivity, fully-flexible software and seamless intelligent metering. We have pioneered several new technologies in the metering sector and continue to develop innovations in digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Our entire portfolio is founded on creating enduring value and building lasting relationships with our customers.