What is More Severe, a Leak from a Water Distribution System or a Leak from a Sewer?

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If to judge from the bulk of real time alerting technologies offered for the prevention of water losses, compared to simply none sewer leakage real time alerting technologies... the answer seems to be clear. 

 

Are we are being leaded by a concept that loss of money due to leaking drinking water is not acceptable, but making profit from getting rid of alarming percentages of public paid collected wastewater into sub- soil is OK??  

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4 Answers

  1. A leaky water pipe can trigger landslides in hilly terrains which can cause tremendous damage both for peoples health and for property. In other areas with soils as a loes it can lead to differential foundation settlement and building collapse/costly repairs. Areas with underlying expansive clays will experience ground swelling, again leading to property damage. All of this can also be caused by leaky sewer, but because it generally operates under atmospheric pressure, potential for causing damage and size of affected areas are significantly smaller compared to pressurized water distribution pipes. So, viewing from this angle leak from the water distribution system is more severe.

  2. Interesting thought really. Both losses are important as there is a cross linkage between the two. Secondly a sewer leakage may lead to public health problems. A water distribution loss can result in water shortages that may in turn result in public health concerns.  I would say prioritisation on investment depends on the immediate and medium impact of the leakages.

  3. In some cases, leakage from water distribution system might cause environmental problems. Especially, when underlying unconfined aquifer is saline.

    At the end of the day, there must be no losses in both systems. 

    1 Comment

    1. Nurlan,

      1.I do not see the problem of pouring drinking water into a saline aquifer. Isn't it the same when rain water infiltrate to sub-soil?

      2. When budgets are limited, water/sewage services providers should choose for priority investments. 

  4. I have more trouble with water leaking into the system not out. I believe the general goal for most sewer systems is to clean every 24-30 months and have a camera inspection done every 5 years.

    This plays into the misconception that sewage is a waste. Our digester produce methane gas that we use to recover power and heat. The sewer sludge is processed to reduce pathogens and vector attraction and used as fertilizer. Sewage leaks out and I produce less power. We are also looking for opportunities to re-use the water.

    1 Comment

    1. Mark,

      No doubt about the fact that I&I is a big problem for WWTP's operators in the same way that loses of wastewater, as a result of spillages and exfiltration from sewerage systems, is a big problem before all else for the environment.