The demand for clean water has never been higher. At the same time we are experiencing an increase in drought frequency and duration, our global population has surpassed 8 billion people, and urban populations are expected to double by 2050. It’s clear we need to look at how we can conserve water, and for water utilities that means reducing non revenue water loss (NRW).
For the past decade, water professionals have consistently ranked aging infrastructure and funding for renewal as their most pressing challenges. The consequence has been an increase in leakage rates and pipeline failures that strain already limited resources. In this challenging landscape, we need solutions that deliver immediate, measurable results while building toward long-term sustainability.
In privatized markets like the UK, regulatory mandates demand transparency in leakage reporting, incentivizing utilities to pursue innovations that optimize service while preserving resources. The result is some of the most sophisticated water utilities in the world, proving that a commitment to smart water management fosters sustainability and financial stability.
When it comes to effective leakage reduction strategies, two approaches stand head and shoulders above the rest: pressure management and transient monitoring.
The hydraulic principle of pressure and leakage
The relationship between pressure and leakage is straightforward: decrease the pressure, decrease the leakage. This simple principle is a cost effective solution that every water utility can apply. Many systems experience pressure fluctuations of 15-30 psi between daytime and nighttime operations, with pressure typically highest during periods of lowest demand—precisely when leaking water is most wasteful.
The numbers speak for themselves: a 10% decrease in average pressure typically yields a 10% reduction in leak flow rates and can reduce pipeline failures by approximately 15%. In older systems with degraded infrastructure, these benefits can be even more dramatic. Moreover these reductions represent sustained savings, making pressure management a cost-effective measure for reducing and maintaining lower leakage rates.
The best strategy for leakage reduction is delivering only as much pressure as needed—nothing more. To do this you need reliable monitoring and a solid pressure control strategy.
Advanced pressure management: The role of smart controllers
Traditional pressure management relies on setting fixed outlet pressures within district metered areas (DMAs) to ensure minimum service levels. However, advanced systems take optimization further. Modern pressure-reducing valve (PRV) controllers adjust dynamically based on real-time demand.
Mobiltex FloPath controllers offer sophisticated modulation capabilities, allowing utilities to fine-tune pressure levels throughout the day or in response to flow conditions. Their battery-operated design ensures sustained operation in demanding environments, with deployments in the field that have run continuously for over five years without battery replacement.
With robust telemetry, real-time alarms, and transient detection capabilities, these systems enable utilities to monitor pressure fluctuations proactively, preventing leaks before they happen. Advanced data capture features provide deeper insights into system performance, optimizing decision-making for maintenance and replacement.
Monitoring for transients
While pressure management focuses on persistent stresses within water distribution networks, transient monitoring addresses the sudden, dynamic pressure fluctuations that can be equally destructive. These transients—rapid pressure changes occurring when flow conditions abruptly shift—silently inflict cumulative damage and fatigue on pipelines and infrastructure, compromising system integrity over time.
These pressure waves, commonly caused by valve operations, pump shutdowns, or demand changes, propagate through networks and gradually weaken infrastructure. While catastrophic failures occasionally make headlines, the more insidious danger lies in the incremental damage that leads to eventual leaks and failures. Recent monitoring trends reveal that transients are far more common in distribution networks than most utility operators previously recognized.
By implementing comprehensive transient monitoring, utilities can detect these dangerous pressure fluctuations before they cause damage. This proactive approach allows operators to identify potential issues such as malfunctioning control valves, illegal water usage, or problematic operational changes—and take corrective action before infrastructure is compromised.
Preventing pipe bursts
Not all loggers are created equal, and there are new innovations to help prevent the damage from transients. In the case of Mobiltex FloPath transient loggers, it captures both average pressure profiles and high-speed transient events, offering sampling rates of up to 1,000 times per second. Users can select transient logging rates of 10, 20, 100 and 1,000 Hz. Transient detection is optimized by offering fixed and rate of change triggers along with a slow differential trigger for slower moving transients. The trigger threshold levels are user defined allowing the setting of the sensitivity level to be based on the application needs.
Once a trigger level threshold is reached, the logger transfers 1-min of pre trigger readings at 10 Hz frequency from the buffer memory to the logger memory and starts logging at the defined “fast sample rate” for a user-set duration of time (typically 2-3 minutes). This optimizes the million reading transient memory capacity by only recording the relevant transient event data and not filling up memory space with unmeaningful fast sample data. At a fast sample rate of 100 Hz, there is enough storage capacity to record up to 100 transient events.
High-consequence water transmission mains present an emerging opportunity for transient pressure monitoring. These larger diameter pipes pose greater risks upon failure yet offer fewer access points, making them challenging to monitor effectively. While traditional acoustic sensors require placement approximately every ½ mile on transmission mains, the pressure transient loggers have an extended range and can be positioned at intervals of 3-6 miles (depending on environmental conditions), substantially reducing deployment requirements. This wider spacing results in fewer units needed in the field and lowers long-term operational costs related to battery replacements, maintenance, and installation procedures.
Scaling solutions for a sustainable future
Solutions like pressure management and transient monitoring are scalable, allowing utilities to launch pilot programs that demonstrate ROI before committing to widespread deployment. As climate initiatives increasingly prioritize emissions reductions and water sustainability, utilities embracing smart water technologies may find new sources of funding and public support.
Investing in smart solutions isn't just the responsible choice; it's an urgent necessity for ensuring the world’s water security in the years ahead.
About the Author
Alain LaLonde
Alain LaLonde is vice president, value stream at Mobiltex. With almost three decades of experience Alain has a deep understanding of complex critical water infrastructure projects related to water conservation, hydraulic analysis, water loss management, metering and system optimization.