Electro Scan unveils leak detection technology for water utilities

US-based technology firm Electro Scan has developed a new multi-sensor probe which can be used by water utilities to detect and measure water losses across pipelines.

The firm has unveiled the leak detection technology in the 90-day / 16-city international roadshow.

Nearly 20-30% of water production by the utilities is lost before it is delivered to a customer’s meter. Inability to detect the leaks correctly often results in fixing of the wrong pipe than the right one.

Costs for repairing the faulty pipes increase when assessment of water mains with conventional equipment including acoustic sensors, data loggers, electro-magnetic sensors, and visual inspections, lead to inaccurate results.

Electro Scan chairman Chuck Hansen said: "By combining the latest technologies into our 4-in-1 Multi-Sensor Probe, offered as an exclusive service, utilities can quantify each leak’s size, location, and estimated GPM (LPS), in minutes."

Electro Scan’s technology integrates low voltage conductivity sensor, high definition camera, pressure sensor and acoustic sensor to offer accurate results. It can be used to check both pressurised and gravity water mains while the pipes stays operational.

Equipped with a neutrally buoyant fibre optic cable, the technology can be used to assess conditions in ‘up to 2,000ft (610m) of water main from a single point of entry, accessed through fire hydrants, air valves, flow meters, gate valves, and pressure fittings,’ Electro Scan said.

Electro Scan general manager Mark Grabowski said: "The Electro Scan 4-in-1 water probe was designed to find leaks not previously found by legacy methods.

"If a pipe leaks electricity, it leaks water. Now we can provide a reliable, repeatable, and measurable solution for the water industry, based on our proven technology already being deployed in the wastewater collection industry."

Electro Scan Marketing director Carissa Boudwin said: "In the past, acoustic sensors may have suggested locations of general anomalies.

"But, false-positive readings, poor data repeatability, reliance on third party data interpretation, ambient noise from road traffic, water table heights, pipe diameter, and the inability to assess PVC, PE, and HDPE pipes, has limited its usefulness to find non-revenue water losses and optimise CAPEX plans."

The firm, however, is currently not selling the equipment but offering it in the form of professional services.

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Image: Electro Scan’s multi-sensor leak detection probe. Photo: courtesy of Electro Scan Inc.