Wessex Water is using innovative equipment to keep water supplies flowing this winter.

Leakage control staff are using sophisticated equipment which has made it easier to investigate leaking pipes during challenging weather conditions. The company started trialling the latest hydrophone leak detection systems in March after extreme weather at the start of the year highlighted the challenges of completing leak detection work in difficult conditions.

Pat Jay, leakage engineer with Wessex Water, said:

“If we have a repeat of last year’s cold weather conditions, leakage detection will be fundamental as the number of pipes at risk of leaks and bursts could increase through ground movement caused when there is a freeze followed by a thaw.

“So far the new equipment has produced promising results and we have been able to detect leaks which were difficult to locate using conventional methods which means we can arrange repairs quickly to minimize water loss.”

The hydrophone leak detection system finds the location of a leak between multiple points on a network of pipes. It works by recording leak noise from within the water main which is downloaded to a PC and analysed using powerful software. This means long lengths of water main can be surveyed very quickly.

It differs from conventional leak detection methods which include workers manually listening for leak noise on fittings such as valves and stop taps to determine the location of a leak. These methods can be difficult to use during extreme weather as well as in urban areas where background noise reduces the workers ability to hear the leak noise.

Mr Jay added:

“We are committed to finding new innovative ways to locate leaks which occur in our extensive water supply network that is made up of 11,478km of water mains.

“While the equipment we use is important, our success in dealing with leakage is also down to our experienced staff who work in all weather conditions to carry out intensive detection work to minimise the loss of water from our supply network.”