SINGAPORE – Utilities needs to invest into the next generation of smart water technologies in order to reduce non-revenue water (NRW).
That’s one of the key takeaways from the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Spotlight 2017 event, which brought together more than 220 water utility leaders in the summer.
In an outcome document released this week, one of the major Spotlight discussions covered was on ‘Cutting losses – improving network performance’.
While water utilities should strive towards achieving an NRW target of below 10 percent, the “optimum level of NRW would depend on several factors, such as water resource stress, financial considerations and economic level of leakage”, the document said.
The report also warned that “over-investment in driving down NRW, which could involve more costly methods, could result in diminishing economic returns”.
Two examples were highlighted as examples of best practise in reducing NRW, from Cambodia and Japan.
The often cited example of Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority was included, showing a reduction of its NRW from 72 percent to 5.85 percent in less than 20 years.
Meanwhile Tokyo Waterworks’ world-record rate of 3.2 percent was called “inspiring”. This was attained through switching from lead to stainless steel for service pipes which were more durable, and vigilant efforts to anticipate and repair leaks early.
The utility was further praised for conducting night-time patrols to detect leaks, as this is increasingly difficult in the day-time with increased noise levels in urban areas.
Experienced colleagues also provide staff training to use leakage sound detection bars and electronic leakage detectors. Finally, Tokyo Waterworks also made its water supply system more resilient to earthquakes by using distribution pipes with reinforced joints.
The SIWW Spotlight is a mid-way discussion point inbetween the two-year cycle of the main event in Singapore.
Peter Joo Hee Ng, chief executive of Singapore national water agency, PUB, said the Spotlight examined three outcomes that every water utility should have a “laser-focus” on, including: reducing system losses; guaranteeing the quality of our product and wastewater reuse.
A copy of the document can be found here.
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