Pure Technologies to install monitoring system on Mexico water pipeline

Pure Inspection Technologies Mexico has won an approximately $5m contract to supply, install and commission its SoundPrint Acoustic Fiber-Optic (AFO) monitoring system in Cutzamala, Mexico on a portion of a major water pipeline delivering drinking water to over five million people in Mexico City.

The largest monitoring programme on a single water system in the Americas, the installation will allow the company to continuously monitor around 150km of pipeline on the water system.

Slated for completion in the fourth quarter, the installation work represents the final phase of a multi-year programme. Pure Inspection Technologies Mexico has been installing AFO equipment on the pipeline since 2010.

SoundPrint AFO is used to detect and locate wire failures in pre-stressed concrete cyclinder pipe (PCCP) and is applicable for potable water, raw water and wastewater pipelines 24in and larger.

The technology monitors acoustic activity in a pipeline continuously in order to identify acoustic events associated with the failure of pre-stressing wires. It uses sensor configurations such as hydrophone arrays, surface-mounted sensors, hydrophone stations and fibre-optic sensors to track the condition of each pipe in the line, and reports the time and location of breaking pre-stressing wires.

Pure Technologies develops technologies for the inspection, monitoring and management of critical infrastructure globally.