One of the fundamental activities of an effective Water Loss Control Strategy is Active
Leakage Control. Typically this involves two steps, first the use of acoustic noise
detection equipment to identify potential leak areas, then noise correlators and
geophones are used to pinpoint the leak position prior to sending out watermain repairs
crews. The City of Ottawa's Drinking Water Services staff has recently developed and
implemented an innovative mapping system to graphically present the recorded noise
levels within its 2,700 km (1674 mi) water distribution system. Data collected
thematically mapped based on leak noise intensity measured within distinct zones in the
water system. Using visual analysis, the noise maps are used to prioritize areas where
the probability of leaks is highest based on noise clusters. Pinpointing is then focused
on these areas to achieve greater success in locating leak positions. This
approach will result in the decrease in the leak run time and increase the confidence
level of each initiated repair by reducing the number of costly "dry hole" excavations. To
ensure the area is leak free, a post survey is completed after the repair to ensure the
elimination of the noise cluster. Field data is presented, highlighting the success of
this iterative and live process for both day and night leak surveys. Lessons learned and
recommended practices are shared to assist other municipalities who are embarking
on an Active Leakage Control Program. Includes tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 1.9 MB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 42 |
| Published : | 06/01/2007 |
