Unitywater Trials Satellite Technology to Detect Water Leaks

Australian water and sewerage utility, Unitywater, is trialling use of satellite data analytics from a UK firm to help detect and predict water pipeline leaks.

The project, in collaboration with geospatial data analytics company, Rezatec, aims to reduce water loss, improve operational efficiency and reduce below ground asset management costs.

Unitywater is specifically investigating innovative methods of non-destructive, leak detection on trunk water mains (16 per cent of its pipeline network) that will not interrupt the day-to-day service.

A proportion of its trunk water mains are located in remote bushland terrain, which means that conventional detection methods cannot be used. These ground conditions also differ from those found in the UK, presenting a new challenge for the technology.

Rezatec’s pipeline leakage detection satellite data analytics service is being tested on a 200km2 area of the Sunshine Coast combining both rural and urban areas.

The initial phase of the project focuses on a retrospective analysis of the last 12 months’ actual leakage data in order to calibrate with the company’s analytical techniques. Following a successful first phase, the second phase will be to accurately monitor and predict future pipeline leaks in a live trial.

“We’re always looking for new and innovative methods to improve operations, keep costs as low as possible and provide an excellent service to our customers,” said Simon Taylor, executive manager infrastructure planning & capital delivery, Unitywater. “This project fits very well with our values and our vision.”

To obtain the historic and predictive analysis, Rezatec acquires and processes a range of earth observation (EO) data sets including optical and radar satellite data, and soil and weather data.

Then by applying its proprietary analytical techniques it measures anomalous vegetation growth, soil moisture fluctuations and minute variations in terrain movement to deliver an impressive data product capable of detecting and predicting pipeline leakage in order to more effectively deploy ground resources and save operational costs and inefficiencies.

Unitywater operates and maintains more than $AU 3.1bn service infrastructure, supplying services to more than 300,000 customers spread across a network of more than 11,000km of water mains and sewer pipes.

Rezatec currently works with one third of UK water companies including Scottish Water, South West Water, Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water providing geospatial data analytics around below ground asset management, peatland restoration and management and agricultural land use diffuse pollution mapping and risk assessment.

Source: Smart Cities World

Media

Taxonomy

• GIS
• Leakage Detection
• Leakage
• Leakage Reduction
• GIS Spatial Analysis
• Satellite

1 Comment

1. We have had our Source Water for our wells in portions of Iowa and other U S Midwest states polluted by some farmers illegally draining tile and low wet swale areas by installing AG drainage wells or French Drains without permits.  The Nitrogen fertilizers and herbicides and pesticides are causing high animal loss numbers and affecting the health of the families using the polluted aquifers water.  Can your GIS system spot the Point Source Polluters who are draining their low lying wetland down into our drinking water?  Could you provide this service to State Board of Health and DNR and USDA-NRCS Personnel?  And also the flow direction so Downstream well owners could test their water for the chemicals and Nitrogen fertilizers used by those draining their land illegally?