AWWA ACE58184

Recent drought and water supply concerns have made water conservation and leakagecontrol a high priority throughout Texas and the entire Southwest region of the UnitedStates. These concerns have required the City of Fort Worth, Water Department to reexamineand improve the existing Leakage Control Program and put more emphasis onthe understanding of the Department's non-revenue water.Due to limitations in manpower, the existing program involved occasional leak surveyactivities (as time allowed) using traditional leak sounding equipment, usually after a leakhad surfaced but before it had become a significant water line break. This method wasfound to be very time consuming and after the condition had already progressed to thepoint of failure. Additionally, the leak detection crew was responsible for pinpointingdifficult leaks that had surfaced. This pinpointing activity, although helpful, was drawingresources away from the leak survey progress. It had also been determined that thismethodology for detection was reactive and therefore usually had an impact uponcustomer service.In August of 2001, the department invested in a small number (50) of leak noise loggers.These units have assisted the Field Operations Division in identifying leaks on buriedmains before the leaks have risen to ground surface causing customer concerns andbecoming major repair issues. Approximately one year later the department is addinganother 150 units to increase coverage and response time. Additionally, the departmentis currently discussing the possibility of deploying several of these devices in varioussections of the entire distribution network for use on a permanent installation basis.Several conditions in the distribution system and various issues of the department haverequired attention to leakage control. First was non-revenue water, second was customerservice, and finally the development of a more proactive program for anticipating failureson an aging distribution system. The City of Fort Worth, is addressing this through amulti-project format within the field operations and engineering divisions. Includes 4 references, tables, figures.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

06/15/2003

Number of Pages:

14

File Size:

1 file , 340 KB