Page 61 - Water Loss Control

What is Necessary to Contr ol the W ater Loss Pr oblem? 43

performance indicators are calculated routinely. These calculations are supported
by DMA minimum hour flow analysis.
• Network zoning and DMA establishment: It was acknowledged that one of the
most efficient ways to reduce the volume of real losses is by reducing the
runtime of leaks. DMAs and the related minimum hour flow measurements
allow the leakage manager to deploy the leakage reduction recourses to those
areas where leakage levels have reached a volume that justifies intervention.
• Pressure management: It is now a well-known fact that pressure management is
the most effective and efficient way of reducing leakage. The general benefits of
pressure management are threefold: reduction of background leakage, reduction
of break rates on mains, and service connections and reduction of flow rate
from any leak.
• Reduced response time to repair leaks: Once it was recognized that the run time of
a leak is major factor contributing to the overall real loss volume; steps were
taken to ensure that the average repair times were drastically reduced.
• Customer side leakage: After it was understood that a significant portion of the
leakage volumes can occur on customers side of the service pipe, effective
management of this leakage component was included in the over all leakage
reduction strategy.
• Improved leak detection efforts: A leakage reduction program is only as good as its
field personnel finding the leaks. Therefore, comprehensive training programs
were developed in order to increase the skill level of the leak detection personnel.
• Asset management: It was realized that leakage management is an integral part
of asset management. Infrastructure replacement is the most comprehensive
improvement to an asset, but this action is also the most expensive step of the
four management practices. A concentrated effort was launched to develop
sophisticated asset management techniques to plan infrastructure investments
and replacements on a strategic basis.

These leakage management practices are discussed in further detail in Chaps. 10 to 14.
4.3.2 Additional Examples of Improved International Leakage
Management in Several Countries
A brief description of progressive international water loss management activities is pro-
vided to reflect the growing recognition of water loss impacts among countries around
the world; and the actions that they are taking to promote water-efficient utilities.
Germany
The German water market exists of a multitude of small- and medium-sized enterprises
and municipal companies. Water utilities are operated in different legal forms with the
most common form being: municipal department, municipal utility, municipal com-
pany, joint venture, operator model and management, and service contract. Currently
7
there are about 5260 water supply enterprises in Germany. Germany has very strict
guidelines and ambitious performance indicators for water loss management. How-
ever, it is interesting that those guidelines are driven by hygienic, supply sufficiency,
safety, and environmental reasons; unlike England and Wales which are managed
largely by economic considerations. In 2003, national guidelines were published for the