Introduction ofActive Water Leakage DetectionSolution

NEC Italia SpA

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Key facts regarding leakage

▌Water loss wastes valuable natural and financial resources

▌Most leaks are hidden from view and can not easily be found withoutsupport of technology

▌Leaks occur in random patterns, ongoing effort to reduce leakage isneeded – either through manpower or technical systems

▌Old network infrastructure generate more leaks and operating costsincrease

▌Mixed materials (PVC, cast iron, etc.) require more technical meansto locate leaks

▌Most widespread technology to support leak detection evolvesaround of sound analysis (water leaving a pipe under pressuremakes noise.) Gutermann is technology lead in the field for manyyears.

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Benefit of automatic/unmanned leak detection

▌Reducing the run-time of a leak, minimizing the loss of non-revenue water.

▌Reducing the man hours spent searching for leaks.

▌Raising awareness of a leak when it occurs and before it becomesa major incident

▌Reducing repair costs through earlier intervention.

▌Increase the knowledge about the water network.

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System Overview - Equipment

System ComponentsSystem Components

The system comprises ZONESCAN 820 Alphacorrelating radio loggers that transmit leak-noise data via a network of low power radiorepeaters and Alpha base-stations with GPRS(or Ethernet/Wi-Fi) backhaul. Loggers areprogrammable using a PDA interface.Battery life of loggers and repeaters is inexcess of 5 years, under normal conditions,with Alpha batteries being replaced by NECunder the routine maintenance contract.

Web ApplicationWeb Application

Network leak-noise data is viewed by usersthrough the system interface. Datacorrelation is conducted according to a dailyschedule to support operationalmanagement. Network nodes and detectedleaks are indicated using a GIS overlay thatenables fast and accurate location of leaks tosupport efficient isolation and repair ofpipework.

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System Overview - Equipment

Correlating Radio LoggersCorrelating Radio Loggers

1. Radio communication enables the operator to quickly communicate with thelogger while it is in the field or back of the truck without needing to dock it in acase.

2. Unlimited number of loggers can be added to this system without needing topurchase additional communication cables or docking cables.

3. This logger is thirty per cent more sensitive than most noise loggers

4. It is the only permanent based radio logger able to transmit correlation data.

5. The ZoneScan correlating logger has dual logging functionality, it logs the noiselevels and makes sound recordings for correlations. This makes the ZoneScanthe only logger suitable for both leakage survey work and locating difficult leaks.

6. A correlating logger needs both the loggers either side of the leak to hear thesame noise to indicate there is any possibility of being a leak present. If thereare two or three leaks between loggers and these loggers detect different noisesa correlating logger can indicate no leak. The noise logger function in theZoneScan will individually assess the probability of a leak being present basedon the noise level and provide a leak indication.

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System Overview - Setup

© NEC Corporation 2013Page 6

Dispatch the fieldengineer directly tothe located leakingpoint for confirmation

Report

Water Company

2. Data analysis2. Data analysis

HTTP

Logger

RadioRepeater

Alpha

Web Interface for monitoring

Radio

GPRS/3G,Ethernet, Wi-Fi

Centralized System(Cloud)

Data

Management

3. Notification leakages3. Notification leakages

4. Evaluation in thefield4. Evaluation in thefield

5. Confirmation5. Confirmation

1. Data from sensor1. Data from sensor

GPRS/3G,Ethernet, Wi-Fi

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How does correlation work?

▌ To obtain a good correlation, the noise MUST be heard at both sensors

▌ Sound velocity depends on input quality of various pipe properties (material, age, pipediameter)

▌ Sensors are able to to filter-out the external non-leak noise sources (ex. power line noise)

▌ Smart technology can locate leak when two sound signals are heard

Leak correlators serve two major purposes:1. to detect the presence of a leak

2. to pinpoint the location of the leak for repair when detected

The sound data isprocessed througha mathematicalalgorithm whichcompares the twosound recordings todetermine thedifference in thetimes it takes noiseto travel from thesite of the leak toeach of the sensors

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Equipment Technical Specifications

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Leaks pinpointed betweentwo loggers

Strong peakidentifies leaknoise source

Online platform for leak monitoring

Note: User interface image is under update, final image might be slightly changed.

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Online Reporting Tools

StreetView on screen and inprinted action reports facilitatethe location of loggers and leaks

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Financial Benefit

Save water costs

▐ Reducing the run-time of a leak.

▐ Finding quiet leaks that are inaudible during the dayor are masked by louder leaks.

▐ Raising awareness of a leak when it occurs andbefore it becomes a major incident.

Save manpowercosts

▐ Reducing the man hours spent searching for leaks.

▐ Focusing on looking for leaks in the areas withleaks.

▐ Reducing the amount of night-work and over-time.

Save infrastructureand social costs

▐ Increasing knowledge of the network (investmentdecisions).

▐ Reducing repair costs through earlier intervention.

▐ Mains replacements prioritization.