Syrinix has revealed research which shows that its TrunkMinder system for permanent pipeline monitoring pays for itself within an 18 month to 3 year timeframe.

The Syrinix TrunkMinder system, used extensively by Thames Water and Crossrail, permanently monitors critical pipelines and trunk mains to provide water companies with constant pipe status updates including locating the smallest of leaks and early burst alerts. Using detailed research undertaken by Isle Utilities, the technology and innovation consultancy, with three major UK water utilities, Syrinix’s TrunkMinder system is shown to provide a pay back on the investment of purchasing and installing within three years.

Stuart Moss, Head of TAG, Isle Utilities explained:

"Interviewing 3 major UK water utilities showed that the costs of bursts on critical trunk mains quickly mount up once analysed in detail.  The research study showed a potential sub-3 year payback period which highlights the important role TrunkMinder has to play in reducing bursts on these critical pipes and in turn avoiding the significant costs and disruption that can result".

The sub-three year payback of Syrinix’s innovative and highly effective system was calculated based on savings made as a result of deployment. These included reduction in leak detection teams on trunk mains, dealing with leaks rather than bursts in a proactive manner, reduction in water lost from trunk mains, improved customer and operational service, reduced damage to third party property and TrunkMinder-related insurance savings among several other factors.

It represents welcome news to pipeline operators around the world, as they struggle to improve network infrastructure, embrace innovation, work smarter and meet targets, in a climate of financial belt-tightening in which the bottom line packs the weightiest punch.

The Return On Investment (ROI) of the TrunkMinder system is of particular benefit withIn the UK water sector, where companies can find it difficult to adopt new technology due to the five year Asset Management Plan (AMP) periods imposed by the government regulator OFWAT. Being sure of the financial return from a proven product means water companies can be innovative without the risk.

Syrinix CEO James Dunning added:

“The water sector is facing considerable challenges going into the AMP 6 price review. Leakage generally and, more specifically, high profile bursts in critical locations have come to be key levers in the maintenance of public confidence in the sector. Meanwhile, reducing leakage and avoiding major bursts by replacing pipelines is no longer an option except in the most extreme instances.

“From the viewpoint of the water utility CEO’s, the challenge and opportunity is to embrace innovations like TrunkMinder as a means of aspiring to greater network resilience without increasing customer bills.”

Trunk mains bursts currently represent a huge loss of water, energy and money, in the UK and globally. In the United States alone, an average of 700 water main breaks occur every day, totalling 250,000 per year (Environmental Protection Agency, Source: IBM).

Syrinix TrunkMinder provides a way to cut the losses, and keep the money with its sub-three year payback period.