Creating Virtual Sensors to Save Water
Innovative new technologies can be applied to reduce leakage in water distribution systems.
Water loss occurs in all distribution systems, but the volume of loss varies depending on the characteristics of the pipe network and other local factors such as the water utility’s operational practice and the level of technology and expertise applied to control it.
Leakage is one of the components of water loss and comprises the physical losses from pipes, joints, and fittings. These losses can be severe and may go undetected for months or even years at a time. It is estimated that 45 billion liters of water every day is lost globally in the water systems and in the England and Wales alone one-fifth of water is lost before it reaches the end-user.
The volume of water lost due to leakage largely depends on the characteristics of the pipe network and the leak detection and repair policy practised by the company, for example, having an active leak detection program that increases ‘awareness’ time of how quickly the loss is noticed.
Anglian Water becoming a world leader in leak detection
Anglian Water is one company with an active leak detection policy, reporting half as much leakage per kilometer of pipeline as any other water company in the UK: the pipe network can reach Australia and back. Over the past five years, the utility has invested £120 million to reduce leakage, with the aim of a further reduction of over 15% by 2025.
To explore innovative ways of becoming a world leader in low levels of leakage, Anglian Water has begun trialing the use of fiber optic cables to detect leaks in their water pipe network. Working with partners, the trial is testing the endurance and capability of the fiber optics and allows the engineers to hone their skills in installing and removing the fiber optics from the pipeline.
Once the fiber optic sensor cable is fed into water pipes, the technology can enable engineers to continually monitor the pipeline for leaks and other events in the network by creating thousands of virtual sensors along the sections of the pipeline being monitored. This information enables the utility to see in real-time where new leaks are or the start of events of interest. If the trial is successful, Anglian Water may consider progressing to full-scale operational trials in the live water network.
Conclusion
Water leakage goes down when investment and technology are applied.