How can water loss accounting and leak detection help in asset management?
In the big picture, reducing large-scale water losses can help utilities lower the cost of producing drinking water, improve the supply-and-demand water balance, and raise public opinion of water suppliers. Specifically, understanding the causes and sources of water losses and locating leaks helps utilities assess distribution system performance, a key factor in managing assets. The Foundation report Distribution Infrastructure Management: Answers to Common Questions (order # 90846), places emphasis on the use of leak data in distribution system assessment. Leak histories are important, though rarely maintained; the report offers a sample leak history report. A leak audit compares water production and water consumption (taking into account unmetered production and consumption) and can aid in determining distribution system performance and in locating leaks. The difference between production and consumption, adjusted for unmetered discrepancies, is “unaccounted-for water.” Many utilitie
