Echologics provides high quality and actionable information to water utilities, helping to optimize capital investments, repair and rehabilitation programs and safely extend the operating life of critical water main assets. We have completed over 400 condition assessment, leak detection and monitoring projects around the world for municipal and industrial clients.
In this short video, Eric Stacey, Echologics’ Product Manager, discusses how the EchoShore®-DX platform is uniquely suited to find leaks on cast iron and ductile iron distribution mains before they become costly repairs.
A major hydroelectric maintenance facility site in Eastern Canada selected Echologics to determine whether their existing 60-year old cast iron (CI) potable water lines showed signs of degradation in order to plan for rehabilitation/replacement requirements and budgets. Echologics' field crew performed leak detection and condition assessment on over 1 mile of pipe in one day, with no impact to facility operations. The results were combined with other inputs, such as depth of installation (surface-to-crown), traffic loads (e.g., H-20, E-80), operating and surge pressures, and pipe bedding and backfill conditions to estimate the remaining service life. Fortunately, the old CI pipe was still in pristine condition and the electric utility was able to defer any need for pipe rehabilitation work, saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A major university campus in the US southwest with more than 8,000 students selected Echologics to perform condition assessment and leak detection on 12 to 24-inch water mains and steam system pipes. This study was instrumental in helping the campus utility department evaluate the current systems and recommend a course of action to maintain capacity and performance, while planning for future repair, replacement, and improvements.
Echologics is part of a large-scale project to field test and evaluate technologies designed to decrease water loss and increase energy savings. As part of the fieldwork for a 24-month study by California American Water to evaluate methods to detect water leaks in distribution systems, Echologics has deployed over 380 EchoShore-DX fixed acoustic leak detection nodes in areas with metallic and concrete water mains. This is currently the largest operating deployment of EchoShore-DX fixed leak detection technology in California. Echologics recently announced the planned deployment of more than 10,000 nodes throughout the San Jose Water Company (SJWC) service area.
The homeowners association of a large condominium development in the northeastern US with a history of water main issues and leaks made a capital investment to help identify and fix problems before they become costly events for the owners. A 14-node EchoShore-DX system was installed on 6 to 10-inch ductile iron (DI) water mains on the site and implemented on a Mi.Net® network from Mueller Systems. In the first year of operation, the system identified six service leaks and one large water main leak. When asked about the EchoShore-DX system, the system operator said, “It alerts us to underground leaks as soon as they occur, resulting in less non-revenue water loss, less damage caused to surrounding areas and fewer customer complaints of sump pumps running constantly.”
The Phase II expansion of Echologics’ Innovation Site, the company’s research and training center in Walkerton, Ontario, is underway with the addition of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). The addition of PCCP will allow for development of technologies for condition assessment and continuous leak monitoring of PCCP pipe.
Our survey level condition assessment results for PCCP correlate well with internal electromagnetic survey results, enabling utilities to use ePulse technology for quickly surveying long distances of PCCP for identifying areas of distress for inspection by more intrusive and costly internal inspection tools. Some types of PCCP pipe, such as C303 bar-wrapped pipe, can leak before a significant rupture event, making continuous leak detection monitoring a very cost-effective method for reducing operating risk.
Opened in 2015, the Echologics Innovation Site replicates a fully functional water distribution network with more than 2,000 feet of buried pipe on site. Over the past two years, hundreds of utility staff and Echologics field technicians have participated in research and training at the facility.
A central Ontario utility experiencing higher-than-normal flow rates and consumption over several months was convinced the increase weren’t attributable to water users on the system, so the utility engaged Echologics to survey 7.5 miles of 6-inch and 8-inch ductile iron (DI) pipe. An Echologics crew completed the inspection within two days and located two water main leaks believed to be responsible for most of the water loss.
A water utility in Pennsylvania selected Echologics to handle a complex project involving a 30-inch cast iron (CI) water main running parallel with and 10 feet from a busy freight train line. The main was installed in 1906 at the base of a berm carrying the rail line and exposed sections display surface corrosion. A leak or burst could severely impact rail operations and safety, and the main is non-redundant.
The portability of the Echologics condition assessment system was an advantage for the field crew as the remote location meant they had to carry the required equipment to each test point on the 3,100 feet of water main. The crew had to work around the train schedules to capture high quality acoustic signals in the time intervals between trains. The condition assessment results revealed several sections of the pipe with a high percentage of wall loss. The utility will use this information to better understand operating risk, and plan for any rehabilitation needs.
Echologics recently installed a 10-node EchoShore®-TX system covering five miles of 20-24-inch Cast Iron (CI) transmission main in Pennsylvania. The 80-year-old main has experienced several breaks in recent years, and its location in a busy downtown area would make it a very expensive and complicated replacement project.
Equipment installation, calibration, and testing were completed by the Echologics crew in just five working days, with no impact on local businesses, and no interruption to water service. If a leak develops now anywhere along the monitored section of the transmission main, the EchoShore-TX system’s leak notification alert enables the utility to react quickly and proactively before a disruptive and costly water main break occurs.
Echologics has officially released a cellular version of the EchoShore-DX fixed leak detection node. Utilities can now quickly deploy nodes using their existing cellular communication provider as an alternative to installing a fixed network. This greatly increases the size and types of coverage areas where the technology can be applied, ranging from targeted deoployments in zones with high leakage or recurring water main breaks to city-wide implementations. EchoShore-DX nodes provide utilities with daily reporting on the development of any leaks in the system, enabling prioritization of leak repairs, and improving customer service with proactive response.
A major shopping mall in Ontario selected Echologics for a leak detection project on one mile of critical water main that comprises the fire protection system on the site. The Echologics field crew used existing fire hydrants as access points to inspect the 6- and 8-inch iron pipes and were able to quickly complete the work with no impact to regular operation of the mall. Due to the critical nature of the fire protection line, the Echologics crew performed a simulated leak at each inspection location to ensure the system integrity.
A major water utility in the United States has selected Echologics technologies for a large-scale demonstration project of smart leak detection approaches for distribution and transmission mains. One hundred EchoShore®-DX nodes will be installed in a residential area that has been plagued by leakage and water main breaks. The fixed leak detection technology will monitor 6- to 12-inch cast iron, ductile iron and asbestos cement mains. As part of the project, Echoshore-TX nodes will also monitor approximately 1.5 miles of a 60-inch steel transmission main.
In California, an Echoshore®-TX leak detection system has been installed along a critical water main with a history of leakage and failures. Seven smart nodes have been placed in shallow access chambers along the section of pipe that is being monitored, with all equipment, including the processor, battery, antenna and acoustic hydrophone, located in each chamber. Echologics field engineers installed and activated the system within four days with no disruption to the water flow or local businesses.
After extensively evaluating several leak detection technologies, SJWC selected the EchoShore®-DX fixed leak detection system for distribution mains because of its proven ability to quickly identify and accurately locate leaks. SJWC serves more than one million people in California’s greater San Jose metropolitan area and is considered one of the most technically advanced water providers in the United States. The project will be the largest deployment of Echologics’ fixed leak detection technology, with the planned installation of more than 10,000 nodes throughout SJWC’s service area.
A large college town in Delaware, plagued by an increasing number of water main breaks, employed ePULSE acoustic condition assessment technology to help determine whether its aging pipes were suitable for lining rather than replacement. Lining was their preferred path, if possible, because of the reduced cost and minimal customer disruption versus replacement. The project assessed 12,400 feet of 6- to 12-inch CI and steel pipe in critical locations under major roads, railroad tracks, and rivers, along with representative neighborhood locations. The tests revealed that much of the pipe exhibited too much structural degradation to be suitable for non-structural lining. The utility was surprised to find a street where one pipe segment had about 60% loss but the next two segments had no measurable loss, indicating a change from unlined pipe to lined pipe mid-block, which was not indicated in the master plan.
Echologics recently surveyed the site of a decommissioned Air Force base built in the 1950s and that now serves as a civilian airport, industrial area and housing complex for a city in New York. Approximately two miles of 8-inch AC pipe were inspected to proactively identify structural deficiencies, help plan replacement or rehabilitation, and identify any existing leaks. Key results from the ePULSE condition assessment found 16 of 22 segments of AC pipe were in poor condition with more than 30% average loss of wall thickness.
A valve closure in a Tennessee city caused a pressure transient event that resulted in four simultaneous water main breaks last year. To help prevent future problems, the water utility launched a proactive program to measure the average pipe wall thickness and to search for leaks in its 24” transmission main system. Echologics came on board, and our field engineers quickly completed an acoustic condition assessment using Echologics’ ePULSE technology. Our assessment was performed without interrupting water service and with minimal supervision from utility staff. We found 11% of the total pipe length in poor condition, and the remaining segments in moderate and good condition. The segments that were determined to be in poor condition were located near the previous leaks. These inspection results helped justify the cost of replacing just the pipe segments that were found to be in poor condition with no further cost or filed crew efforts for the pipe segments in good condition.
A multi-node EchoShore-TX leak monitoring network has been commissioned for a critical 54-inch ductile iron (DI) transmission main in Georgia. This particular main is vital because it operates under high pressure to feed several surrounding water districts. Due to the high operating pressure and numerous air release valves along the line, the water company wanted an early warning system as an alert to potential issues with the water main, which runs through remote areas. The early warning will allow quick response to minimize damage and water loss. The initial deployment covers 6,000 feet with an opportunity to expand the coverage area in the future. During the client’s evaluation of the technology, the EchoShore-TX system positively identified and reported a simulated leak more than two miles from the closest node!
Avoiding the replacement of old water mains that are still in good condition can represent significant savings for a utility. A major utility in western Germany recently pursued this money-saving approach when they selected Echologics to help develop a proactive water main replacement program. Our field engineers employed ePULSE® condition assessment technology to determine the structural condition of approximately 28,000 feet of old asbestos cement (AC) and cast iron (CI) water mains spread over seven locations while simultaneously searching for leaks. The average remaining wall thickness of the assessed pipe segments ranged from good to moderate condition. These results proved the effectiveness and value of our non-disruptive acoustic condition assessment and leak detection methods as part of an asset management process for prioritizing pipeline rehabilitation and replacement.
Echologics worked with a municipality in Delaware to secure a Water Innovation and Technology grant to apply Echologics technology to assess 6-, 8- and 12-inch cast iron (CI) water mains from the mid-to-late 1800s, some in critical areas of the city and with little information available. In three days, the field crew surveyed and tested 28 pipe segments totaling approximately two miles. Data in GIS format was imported into the utility’s mapping system to provide a baseline of water main condition and assist in planning main replacement or rehabilitation. About 30 representatives from engineering firms, local towns, and other utilities, as well as 25 students from the local high school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program participated in the field survey work.
A water municipality in northern Europe selected Echologics to perform leak detection and condition assessment on more than two miles of asbestos cement (AC) and cast iron (CI) water mains. Utilizing the acoustic and non-invasive ePULSE® technology, which required minimal advanced site preparation and no excavation, Echologics’ field engineers confirmed that the vast majority of pipe segments were still in good or moderate condition, and only one segment was in poor condition. Echologics' results greatly contributed to planning stages of the utility's pipeline replacement and rehabilitation program.
A public water utility in Michigan selected Echologics to conduct a comprehensive leak detection and condition assessment program on hundreds of miles of its water network. The advanced EchoShore®-M leak detection technology surveyed 15 miles of critical transmission main segments at 62 locations that crossed waterways, railways and major highways, to help validate the condition of these assets. Acoustic data files were recorded at user-specified intervals (allowing for monitoring periods ranging from a few hours to several days), wirelessly uploaded to a secure server via a cellular network, and automatically analyzed to indicate the presence of leaks or other anomalies. The utility is using the data to update its capital spending plan and help ensure water network resilience and water conservation. Echologics also assessed the condition of 24 miles of transmission and distribution mains.
In California, a proactive water district recently selected Echologics to assess the condition of more than 12 miles of distribution pipe ranging in diameter from 6-to-16 inches. Most of the pipe was installed more than 60 years ago, and the assessment program will determine its structural integrity, helping optimize pipe replacement and rehabilitation investment. It will also identify any leaks, aiding water conservation efforts. Echologics’ condition assessment solution is the industry’s first technology that can identify the condition of both distribution and transmission mains while simultaneously searching for leaks, all without the need for large excavations or service disruptions.
Based on the success of a five-year leak detection program covering nearly 2,500 miles of aging transmission and distribution mains, a large southern U.S. city has extended the program for another year. Echologics’ acoustic-based technology and field service team proved to be very effective in working with various pipe diameters and materials, including ductile iron (DI) and cast iron (CI), in challenging environments, such as high water tables. The main priority over the next year will be the ongoing surveying of approximately 2,200 miles of distribution mains. Echologics is also enabling more efficient process and resource management by employing GIS data management software that documents every identified leak, including location, field photos, estimated water loss and more.
Operations staff at a large-scale corrections facility at a large U.S. university tasked Echologics with condition assessment and leak detection on 20,220 ft. of potable water ductile iron (DI) mains supplying more than 300 campus buildings. The ePULSE® technology was used to determine that most the pipes were in good or moderate condition while pinpointing sections that were in poor condition – helping client improve planning and life cycle management of water mains. During the testing, leak simulation on a 416 ft. section of 20-inch steel chilled water main demonstrated the viability of correlation on lines with continuously-operating pumps.
A water company that manages the assets of more than 40 water municipalities in France selected Echologics’ ePULSE® technology for the non-invasive condition assessment of 7,200 ft. of 10-inch ductile iron pipe. The ability to conduct the analysis quickly, without service interruption or excavation, was a major factor as half of the sites were located on private premises. The study found that the remaining average wall thickness ranged from good to poor, and the results are helping prioritize the rehabilitation and replacement needs of the pipeline infrastructure.
Echologics recently completed a combined condition assessment and leak detection survey for a water utility in Alaska. Using ePULSE® technology to test the remaining wall thickness of two miles of 8 to 12-inch steel mains and 10-inch ductile iron (DI) mains, Echologics' field personnel found 2 segments in poor condition, 12 segments in moderate condition, and 5 segments in good condition. This information provided the utility with actionable data to determine and justify rehabilitation investments. During the inspection, the field team also located a hydrant leak with an estimated combined water loss rate of 30 GPM (43,000 gallons per day) and recoverable water value of $130,000 per year. Although confined spaces and asbestos hazards were present, all field work was completed in just four days.
Echologics recently installed an EchoShore®-TX leak monitoring system on a critical transmission main in the downtown core of a large East coast U.S. city to track the impact of extensive construction in the area. The One-year contract to monitor the 2,200 ft. section of 30-inch cast iron (CI) and 800 ft. of ductile iron (DI) main will help the utility ensure that the asset remains in good condition (leak free) after nearby excavation and tunneling. The transmission main is nearly 30 feet deep but the Echologics field crew was up to the challenge, installing and testing the system and generating first reports in just four days.
In Florida, Echologics field engineers recently inspected a 24” cast iron main installed more than 50 years ago. The main was identified as “high risk” as it was non-redundant, supplied an island community and a major aerospace facility, and ran underneath a six-mile stretch of highway. The ePulse® condition assessment approach is non-invasive and required minimal advanced site preparation, enabling the field engineers to work at night and complete the inspection ahead of schedule. The vast majority of the transmission main proved to be in moderate or good condition. The city and its engineering consultant are using the data to plan rehabilitation and replacement budgets.
A renowned research and library campus required a non-invasive approach to searching for leaks, and determining the condition of on-site pipe assets installed in the 1930s. More than 5,000 feet of pipe connect buildings and run under historic gardens, which could not be disturbed during the inspection. The inspection was completed in just two days, with no impact to the historic grounds or facility operations. Pipe condition assessment data was input into the EchoLife™ remaining service life tool to estimate the timing and need for pipe replacement and rehabilitation. The inspection project was part of a utility, water fountain, and storm water master plan for the campus.
A large city in Michigan selected Echologics to assess approximately 600 miles of 4”-36” metallic water mains, some of which are more than 100 years old. With the objective of significantly reducing leakage, Echologics field engineers deployed the new EchoShore®-M leak detection technology. The new platform enables field technicians to inspect more pipeline in less time with greater accuracy. The EchoShore-M technology is ideal for high priority pipelines such as river, railway, and highway crossings as it can monitor the desired section of pipe from just a few hours or a few days, providing greater leak signal resolution.
A water company in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States evaluated the use of ePulse® condition assessment technology as a cost-effective approach to assess a 20" PCCP transmission main. Echologics' field engineers performed leak detection and determined the structural stiffness of multiple adjacent segments of the pipeline. After testing, ePulse technology results were compared to more detailed forensics tests that included destructive testing. The engineering consultant concluded, "The ePulse condition assessment approach can be used to find pipe sections in the distribution system with reduced average pipe stiffness, without removing the main from service."
Echologics inspected a 20" cast iron pipe crossing a major river. The project was complicated by numerous bends in the pipeline as it entered, passed, and exited the 700-foot wide river. Using advanced correlator technology, the leak was clearly identified despite being submerged in a water body. Echologics field engineers used wheel measurements, as-built drawings, and laser range-finders to pinpoint the location of the leak. A diver followed the pipeline to the target location, excavated the river bed and verified the source of the leak. For critical bridge, highway, and river crossing inspections, Echologics offers leak detection services and cost-effective permanent leak monitoring solutions that send an alert to the utility when a leak develops.
In Louisiana, a large-scale inventory distribution center for a global retailer was plagued by a leak near its loading docks. The suspected source of the leak was a 12" ductile iron pipe section with numerous bends that was buried under 8 feet of concrete. Three failed attempts were made to locate the leak by a local leak detection company, with an estimated excavation cost of $15,000 per dry hole. Echologics leak detection experts successfully pinpointed the leak within an hour of being on site using the LeakFinderST™ correlator.
Jalur Cahaya Sdn. Bhd. (JCSB), a leading environmental engineering company, is working with Echologics in Malaysia. Using the EchoShore®-M leak detection technology, a cost-effective solution to rapidly survey long distances of transmission main, over 20 local technicians with no prior leak detection experience were trained in the new technology and deployed in the field within weeks. In the first three months (including the training period) of the EchoShore-M technology program, over 200km of pipeline was surveyed. JCSB discovered a total of 22 leaks with an estimated combined volume of 2.79 Ml/d.
As part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Global City Teams Challenge, EchoShore®-TX permanent leak monitoring nodes have been installed near one of the busiest airports in the United States: Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. The objective of the project is to detect and repair leaks before they have a significant impact on infrastructure and reliable service. “We are figuring out where leaks are happening before infrastructure is compromised and before roads crumble,” said Lillian Govus, Department of Watershed Management in a recent news article. The smart nodes were installed in purpose-built chambers provided by the utility.
As part of an infrastructure assessment project on a large army support and training facility, ePulse® technology was selected to inspect numerous sections of 6" and 16" cast iron pipe from over 30 different areas around the base. The water distribution system was installed in the 1950s, and is owned and operated by the Army. The condition assessment project identified numerous sections of pipe with significant degradation, and two leaks were identified with an estimated combined loss of 34,600 litres of water per day. Because the ePulse approach is non-intrusive with pipe condition assessment and leak detection offered in a single step, work was completed quickly and with no disruption to base operations.
In Southeast Asia, an EchoShore®-TX technology installation identified a leak early in its formation on a 28" steel main running alongside a major 4-lane highway. The acoustic monitoring nodes initially captured a faint noise anomaly within the main, and Echologics' leak detection engineers were able to monitor its steady progression. Local utility crews were notified of the presence of the leak, and quickly responded and verified that a valve had begun to fail and was steadily leaking water. The leak was discovered and repaired while it was still small, demonstrating the sensitivity and accuracy of the EchoShore-TX technology.
In Texas, a large industrial facility was plagued by a water leak in its fire-protection system. Approximately 50 gallons of water per minute was being lost from the high pressure line and flooding sections of roadway at the facility. Despite the best efforts of facility staff to locate the leak-including digging a 30-foot trench in the suspected location of the leak-operations staff were unsuccessful in pinpointing the source. The facility owner engaged Echologics to locate the leak before the plant was faced a possible shutdown due to the leak. Echologics field engineers inspected several sections of the cast iron main, ranging in size from 12" to 16", and found the leak in just three hours. Based on this rapid result, Echologics was contracted to inspect the remaining fire protection lines at the facility.
As part of a multi-year asset management program, Echologics has inspected more than 60 miles of large diameter transmission mains for a city in Ontario, Canada. Echologics' proven acoustic correlation technology is inspecting the network for the presence of leaks, which consists of pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) and metallic mains ranging in size from 16" to 90". In addition to leak detection, Echologics field engineers are gathering information about the location and operability of access chambers. The field engineers capture multiple data points, including valve information, GPS coordinates, videos, and photos supplied to the city for use in its GIS system.
In China, a large beverage bottling plant was losing approximately 40,000 gallons per day of treated supply water. Service crews had been searching for the leak for several weeks, but could not locate the leak due to the facility's complex piping, and the fact that the plant operations created a large amount of background noise. An Echologics field crew with the LeakFinder correlator was called to the site and located the leak within a day pinpointed underneath a section of concrete roadway surrounding the plant. Based on the rapid response and result, the company purchased LeakFinder™ correlators for its service crews, which have used the technology to locate leaks in other plants throughout China.
In Western Canada, a utility was experiencing an increased number of water main leaks and breaks in a specific section of its distribution system, comprised mainly of asbestos cement and cast iron pipe. To help prioritize replacement, the city turned to ePulse® condition assessment technology to inspect two sections of 6” pipe. The testing identified pipe wall deterioration from nominal thicknesses, and the utility validated the results via spot excavations.
The Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) installed the EchoShore®-TX leak detection platform to monitor a 30-inch transmission main for the development of the leaks. Installed in the 1960s, the main and supplies up to 7.5 million gallons of water per day to resorts, casinos, and attractions along the Las Vegas Strip. The monitoring platform was installed and commissioned in just over two weeks, with no service interruptions or impact to street traffic. The EchoShore-TX platform combines proven acoustic leak detection technology with leading-edge wireless connectivity and visual end-user dashboards to create a cost-effective monitoring solution.
In British Columbia, a municipal district was searching for a strategic approach to plan the replacement of 22 miles of asbestos cement water mains. The district selected ePulse® technology to conduct the inspections, which revealed that 80% of pipes had a significant remaining service life, with the remaining sections being prioritized for replacement based on actual condition. The district validated ePulse results using random coupon sampling throughout the water network. As a result, the district created a reliable, multi-year plan that optimized capital investment plans.
In Washington State, a proactive utility selected ePulse technology to validate pipe replacement recommendations, which were based on remaining economic life models. ePulse® technology was selected, based upon the short time in which field inspections could be completed, and the ability of the technology to conduct analysis without service interruption to customers. Using a strategic asset management plan and the information provided by ePulse technology, the utility was able to further optimize pipe replacement timing and reduce its main replacement budget from $18 million to $9 million.
Construction of residential apartment towers in California required pile-driving steel beams near a 24-inch main, and the local utility wanted to ensure the critical asset was not damaged. The utility selected the EchoShore®-TX platform to monitor the transmission main for the development of leaks over a 12-month period due to its ease of installation and rapid commissioning schedule. Monitoring nodes were installed along the main in shallow chambers.
After outfitting several hundred fire hydrants with the EchoShore®-DX technology nodes for leak detection, utility staff in the first few months were able to quickly locate nearly a dozen leaks in their distribution system. As an unintended bonus, the advanced acoustic sensors were able to identify an acoustic anomaly through a 12” T-connection off of a 36-inch transmission main. It was confirmed as a large leak on the transmission main. The transmission main was several feet away from the monitored 12-inch line, and was not connected to the distribution main in the vicinity of the leak. This new leak detection monitoring platform is enabling the utility to reduce water loss, and to optimize their approach to leak detection and repairs.
In the wake of a major hurricane on the east coast of the United States, ePulse® technology was selected to inspect nearly two miles of a 16” cement mortar-lined ductile iron main that feeds the distribution system. ePulse condition assessment verified that no leaks were present on the main, and identified several sections of pipe with distress. Ultrasonic spot-testing validated the distressed areas, and a follow-up investigation determined the cause to be related to manufacturing defects. ePulse technology enabled system operators to quickly and efficiently capture data about the pipe, and target the deployment of intrusive condition assessment technologies as required.
A leading private water company in Malaysia has outfitted several of its field leak detection teams with LeakFinder-ST correlation equipment. With increased acoustic sensitivity and advanced processing algorithms, leak detection crews are able to find smaller leaks on a wide variety of pipe material - including PVC – and to differentiate and locate multiple leaks in close proximity to each other. In some cases where pipe access-points were not available, crews simply placed acoustic sensors on the ground above the water main to successfully locate leaks.
An installation of the EchoShore®-DX fixed monitoring platform successfully identified and monitored a growing leak that conventional leak detection approaches could not – avoiding a costly pipe failure. Once excavated, a closer examination revealed a long crack in the bottom of the pipe beginning in the bell, saturating the soil directly underneath the pipe at a steady five gallons per minute.
In Ontario, Canada, EchoShore®-TX monitoring nodes have been installed on a non-redundant, 60” transmission main feeding a fast growing residential area. The critical main runs through a rural area and up a significant elevation before reaching its destination; any service outages would have a major impact. EchoShore-TX is monitoring for leaks and static pressure changes to help the utility better understand the impacts of its pumping operations on the main.
