Water Loss Control

By George Kunkel Jr., P.E.

Water loss control refers to the efforts that water utilities exert, to minimize real losses from system leakage, and apparent losses from customer meter inaccuracy, systematic data handling errors in customer billing systems, and unauthorized consumption.

In the US, over 50,000 water utilities withdraw roughly 40 billion gallons per day of water from the nation’s resources, to supply water for domestic consumption, industry, and fire protection. Unfortunately, over 6 billion gallons per day of this water is lost to leakage or poor accounting; more than enough to supply the 10 largest cities in the US.

The potential for the drinking water industry to address this inefficiency depends upon two factors: regulatory oversight and innovative technology. Since the passage of the Clean Water Act over 30 years ago, a strong federal priority on water quality has motivated success in restoring our waterways, reducing pollution, and assuring the production of safe drinking water at water treatment plants. Unfortunately, no similar water quantity regulations exist to ensure that water withdrawn by utilities is used efficiently and accountably. A number of proactive state and regional agencies have moved to require utilities to document their quantitative efficiency. The State of Texas took the lead with the passage of House Bill 3338, requiring water utilities to regularly submit a water audit. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) adopted the water audit methodology developed by the International Water Association (IWA) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Over 2,000 Texas supplier water audits were analyzed in 2006, revealing that many systems do not keep sufficient records to track their losses reliably. Work is needed to improve record-keeping, metering, leakage management, and other controls needed to operate a water-efficient utility.

Requirements are also being put forward in Washington and New Mexico, as well as the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, Delaware River Basin Commission, and the California Urban Water Conservation Council. A number of proactive water utilities have launched effective water loss control programs in recent years. The new national Alliance for Water Efficiency also holds promise as an agent of change to promote recognition of the need for a national policy framework for water utility efficiency.

On the technological front, new methods, software, and equipment, to efficiently control water and revenue losses are being developed at a rapid pace. Two important research reports are available from the AWWA Research Foundation (www.awwarf.org): “Evaluating Water Loss and Planning Loss Reduction Strategies” (Project 2811), and “Leakage Management Technologies” (Project 2928).These efforts have highlighted important findings, such as the role of distribution system water pressure levels on leakage and main break rates, and policy flaws in the assignment of responsibility to customers to arrange for leak repairs on their service lines. A highly user-friendly water audit software is available for free from AWWA at www.awwa.org/Resources/Content.cfm?ItemNumber=590.

Innovation in the commercial marketplace has been astounding, with improved metering, automatic meter reading (AMR) systems, billing software, pressure control equipment, and digital leak detection equipment. A nascent trend shows many of these traditionally disparate technologies being integrated under the label Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). A major water industry shift is underway, as utilities move from manual water meter reading to AMR. Similarly, AMR systems are progressing from mobile-read systems (handheld units or patrol vehicles) to Fixed Network AMR, which communicates through an automated communication network.

Fixed Network AMR is shifting the meter reading paradigm from a single customer meter reading every 30 or 90 days, to readings as often as every 15 minutes; providing data to construct customer consumption profiles that are useful in hydraulic modeling, leakage control, water conservation, and energy management. Fixed Network AMR manufacturers are also expanding role of the customer “endpoint.” Instead of gathering a single, periodic customer meter reading, systems can also report evidence of meter tampering, detection of reverse flow (backflow), excessive consumption from plumbing leakage, system leak noises, and other information that can increase operational efficiency. Look for water pressure data, and, perhaps, even water quality data in the endpoint future.

The advent of AMI is also driving the creation of new business partnerships. Traditional meter manufacturers are partnering with AMR companies. Manufacturers of leak detection equipment are aligning with AMR companies to automate the leak-detection process. This trend is evidenced by agreements between Fluid Conservation Systems (leak detection) and Datamatic (AMR), Gutermann (leak detection) and Hexagram (AMR), who has also partnered with Neptune (meters).

Recently, the AMR giant, Itron, combined with the international meter manufacturer, Actaris, and also purchased FlowMetrix, a leading manufacturer of leak-noise loggers and leakage management solutions. Look for additional partnerships, as this trend makes these technologies commonplace.

Water utilities have an opportunity to save tremendous volumes of water, by implementing new policies and technologies to better track their supplies and reduce waste. While the commercial marketplace is bringing forth effective new water efficiency technologies, the lack of a coherent national regulatory structure ensures that many North American water utilities will maintain a status quo of high leakage and uncaptured revenue.

While technology grows ever-capable, it alone will not motivate the drinking water industry to operate efficiently; federal regulatory agencies must ultimately play a role; the only question is when. 

Editorial Advisory Board Member George Kunkel Jr., P.E. is Assistant Chief for the Water Conveyance Section of the Philadelphia Water Department.