Page 34 - Water Loss Control

16 Cha pte r T w o

levels of loss, not just apply a minimal budget to loss control and then resolve the rest
by way of a “pencil” audit, writing off a major portion of loss as unavoidable. The tra-
ditional rule-of-thumb notions of the amount of water loss viewed as “unavoidable”
has changed with new methods that calculate system-specific levels of technical
unavoidable annual real losses. This level of loss is much smaller than the traditional
ways (Kuichling equation) due to the advent of new technologies, which allow us to
control losses economically to much lower levels.
Some of the tasks included in a water loss control program are

1. Overhead reduction tasks (real losses)
a. Leakage reduction
b. Hydraulic controls (pressure management)
c. Pipe repair and replacement
d. Customer service pipe replacement
e. Condition assessment and rehabilitation
f. Energy management
g. Resources management
2. Revenue stream enhancement tasks (apparent losses)
a. Baseline analysis
b. Meter population management
c. Meter testing and change out
d. Meter correct sizing and change out
e. Periodic testing
f. Automatic meter reading (AMR)
3. Billing structure analysis and improvements
a. Nonpayment actions
• Turn off supply
• Reduce supply to minimum
• Legal action
• Prepayment schemes
• Reduction of fraud and illegal or unregistered connections
• Continuous field inspections and testing
b. Rate or tariff management
c. Customer base management
d. Modeling for efficient installation
e. Modeling to assure economic efficiency
Automation is often a common component in an optimization program.
Water loss control and management is usually a
highly cost-efficient endeavor since so many water
supply systems currently suffer excessive water
In most cases water loss
loss. The greatest challenge for today’s progressive
management is extremely water manager is to change dated mindsets that
cost effective with paybacks view water as infinite and inexpensive. Once policy
measured in days, weeks, and and decision-makers understand the true value of
months; not years as with water, implementing the intervention techniques
other programs. can be a relatively straightforward and reassuring
undertaking.