NRW Smart Leak Management Market Trends

The NRW Reduction Co-management Program is an emblematic operation that received wider recognition from associations of water professionals internationally. It positively impacts communities by reducing the system input volume and granting a much more efficient water distribution within the network. It boosted the billed water volume to 92 MLD in June 2020, bringing substantial economic benefits by increasing the billed water by USD 5.8 million per year to the NWC and Jamaica. The non-invasive technologies mainly include aerial imagery, pressure sensors, and acoustic sensors.

• Due to temperature differences between the natural gas and the local surroundings, aerial imagery identifies natural gas leaks from pipelines. This technology can cover several miles or hundreds of miles of pipeline per day using moving vehicles, helicopters, or portable devices. Liquid leaks in water pipelines can also be detected using similar methods.
• The airborne lidar device can gather high-resolution, long linear ground features and use 3D data to identify any security issues. The sensor-equipped UAV may also be used to monitor the state of pipes, such as irrigated spots with a high risk of corrosion and pipeline heat traces.
• Furthermore, pressure sensors are the most common instrument used to measure water pressure in a pipe network, and they are subject to the same measurement mistakes as any other equipment. Differences between observed and expected data can prove leaks, but due to the probable range of inaccuracies for these devices, there is sometimes doubt in using these results.
• Acoustic sensors are used to detect the water pouring sound from the pipeline rupture, high-pressure fluid escaping from the perforated location, and a pipeline leak that generates elastic waves in the frequency range of up to 1 MHz. The time lag between two sensors' acoustic outputs is used to determine the leaking position.
• Acoustic leak detection is the process of listening for leaks. However, different sorts of leaks make distinct sounds; therefore, one must be skilled in this area. A pinhole leak sprays water at high pressure, making it easier to spot; however, larger leaks, as well as splits, are more difficult to spot because they "feather out" as they spray. It is a century-old method that is insufficient and antiquated in the complicated and huge piping network. The derived principle, however, stays the same.