Northumbrian Water, serving 2.7 million people in north-east England, aims to reduce leakage by 8% in AMP8 (2025-30) and 55% by 2050. Their 2024 Water Resources Management Plan highlights innovation and new technology for faster leak detection. To prepare for AMP8, the company is conducting feasibility studies and trials, including one with Ovarro, to guide future leak detection investments.
THE CHALLENGE
Northumbrian Water is undertaking a range of feasibility studies and trials ahead of AMP8, including one with Ovarro. The results will be used to inform future leak detection investment and strategy.
In November 2023, the company partnered with Ovarro to trial LeakNavigator, an end-to-end, fixed-network leak detection service. The three-month trial covered the Fish Quay DMA in North Shields, which serves nearly 1,400 properties via 17 km of water main. Northumbrian Water set a target to achieve a historic nightline minimum of 7.6m3/h, maintaining this level after project completion.
THE SOLUTION
The LeakNavigator package comprises a fully-managed analytics platform, acoustic dataloggers and Ovarro’s in-house leakage expertise. The service identifies PoIs on behalf of utilities and directly alerts field technicians via an app. The service includes a DMA pre-assessment by Ovarro’s leakage analysts, and ongoing data analysis.
Thirty-six correlating acoustic loggers were installed, a combination of models Enigma3-BBs and Enigma3hyQs. The loggers have a sensitive hydrophone sensor to measure sound generated by leaks overnight, feeding data into the analytics system. The loggers were selected due to ease of deployment and proven capability in finding leaks on plastic pipes – an enduring challenge.
RESULTS
Five sizeable leaks were found during the trial, with a conversion rate of 80%. They included a major leak found on an 8-inch (203mm) PVC water main. Northumbrian Water’s normal detection techniques for the DMA had not found the leak, which was estimated to have been running for approximately 12 months. Flow data shows the leak was losing at least 5.5l/sec water, which is 475 m3/day, and would have amounted to 171 megalitres over 12 months.
A second large leak was found on a business customer’s private pipe. Once both leaks had been repaired, the target nightline figure was achieved, and as of July 2024, had been sustained.
– Andrew Blenkharn, Technical Policy Manager, Northumbrian WaterThe technology was quick to deploy and proven to work, delivering excellent results…Overall, we got down to the historic minimum level aimed for. As leakage gets more difficult to drive down, permanent logging becomes more of a viable option for the future.
