Smart Leak Detection Pipes - 27657

This project will develop an easy to install leak detection system for existing and new water pipes. Based on self-contained
sensor nodes located on the outside of the pipe the system will detect changes in pressure and vibration to indicate the
formation of leaks and their location as they occur. The innovative features of the system include the fact that internal
conditions are monitored from the outside of the pipe using sensors not used before due to their need for a power source,
which now will be supplied by a novel radioisotopic battery lasting the lifetime of the pipes themselves. These features
together develop a low cost, easy to install system which will last the lifetime of the pipes. This will allow these sensors to
be installed along the lengths of pipes such that all water distribution pipes can be monitored in real time, eliminating
location errors & the current delay in identifying leaks due to the need for the leak flow to grow to a size where it can be
identified on a district flow meter.
OFWAT estimated water losses of 3281 Ml/day in the UK in 2010 through leaking pipes. It is estimated that 32 billion cubic
metres are lost every year worldwide (World Bank 2006). This water is lost from the 'blue water cycle'. Not all leaks are
visible and the non visible leaks are initially identified through monitoring flows into discrete areas or via slow and time
consuming surveys along the lengths of pipes. This means that leaks are not identified until they have grown to sufficient
size and this 'awareness time' can amount to several weeks or even months and lead to a large amount of water being lost
before then. Whilst this time can vary, it is generally seen as considerably longer than the time taken to pinpoint and repair
leaks. Eliminating the delay will substantially reduce the water lost - in this country alone by over 1000 Ml/d (~450 Ml/day
for Severn Trent Water, STW, alone, who own ~1/8th of the network). Thus, on a worldwide basis the approach has the
potential to save considerably more than the required 1000 Ml/d. Leakage can have dramatic effects on society. In many
developing countries it is frequently the principal cause of intermittant supplies or the inability to connect more people to the pipes water network. The water has been treated and pumped with substantial embedded energy; therefore reducing
leakage also reduces energy wastage.
Leakage control is a major activity for water utilities in both the UK, where it is a regulatory requirement, and throughout the
world. New methods of identifying leaks which reduce the time taken to identify and locate leaks are needed worldwide.
There is a particular need for systems to manage leakage on plastic pipes due to their poor response to current leakage
detection techniques. This collaborative project is led by Jo Parker of Watershed Associates, who has many years
experience in leakage control and who managed the Technology Strategy Board's VISTA project to successful completion
exemplified by the take up of the research outcomes in Scotland. It includes 2 UK water companies representing the end
user and together supplying 25% of the UK population; STW and United Utilities (UU). The University of Birmingham (UoB)
will lead the research development supported by an SME specialising in developing electronic systems for the
management of leakage, GCR Tech. It also includes a utility contractor, Morrison Utility Services, (MUS) which will develop
a fast, low cost installation technology. Thus, the consortium can develop the product and market it through the
professional networks specialising in leakage management in the UK and worldwide.

The beneficiaries from this research are diverse and include:
1. the commercial private sector (e.g. water companies, contractors)
2. regulators (e.g. Environment Agency, SEPA and Ofwat)
3. UK-based and international academics.
4. the general public who will benefit from a reduction in streetworks as leaks can be more accurately located and thus
repairs targeted.
5. the environment as less water is required to supply the demand
Ultimately, the goal of the sensor system to detect leaks earlier than is currently the case, will save water and hence will
benefit society both economically and environmentally. Overall, the aim is improved leak detection, with the impacts being,
inter alia, reduced leakage, water savings, reductions in abortive operational activity, improved asset management
procedures, improved deployment of resources. In addition, more precise location information on leaks can avoid
unnecessary disruptive holes in roads. Water companies, by implementing this system within their networks, will benefit
from improved information about their asset performance and help them manage their systems more efficiently, becoming
proactive in their operational management and saving time and resources. The technology company (GCR Tech) involved
with the project will ultimately have a product that they can market both in the UK and internationally, and hence this is
good for the nation's wealth creation. Morrison Utility Services will benefit from installing these sensors on the water
networks and they will have the initial market share as they will have developed the capability/methodology to install the
sensors, although other contractors employed by the water companies will ultimately also benefit from the research. The
contractors will further benefit in the longer term by knowing more precisely where leaks are in the future so that this can
save time and money fixing them.
The researchers working on the project will gain enormously by working on a multi-disciplinary project that has a clear,
practical application and requires active interaction with the partner companies on the project on a professional level. This
will undoubtedly make the researchers much more marketable and employable in the future. The academics will benefit by
being involved in such a prestigious, multi-disciplinary project which has the potential to make a real difference in the way
water pipelines are managed in the future. This will help to raise their profiles in the academic community and through the
industrial collaboration, connections will be developed which will be beneficial for future projects.