Managing leaks using flow step‐testing, network modeling, and field measurement

Water distribution systems can experience large volumes of leakage that result in major financial, supply, and pressure losses. The authors describe a simple and efficient approach that combines flow step‐testing and network modeling and solves the leakage detection problem using a direct application of hydraulic analysis and field‐testing. The leak in a pipe segment is explicitly determined by analyzing the rate of change in the discrepancy between field‐measured and modeled flow values. The method is well suited to bracket high leakage areas in the distribution system and is applicable to any pipe material. It was applied to an actual water distribution system, and results were validated by a leak detection survey using acoustic devices. The proposed method should prove useful to water utilities attempting to locate excessive pipe leaks in their distribution systems and thus conserve a precious natural resource while simultaneously reducing their energy consumption and carbon footprint.