Hamilton city officials are confident that a leak detection program will reduce the percentage of treated drinking water that never makes it to the taps in your home.
Currently, 26 per cent of Hamilton’s potable water is lost to leaky underground pipes and watermain breaks, as well as firefighting and the flushing of watermains.
Water distribution manager Dave Alberton has told city councillors that figure is significantly higher than the industry standard of 15 per cent.
“Due to Hamilton’s unique geography, and often rocky, pourous ground,” says Alberton, “there are many watermain breaks that do not surface and have the potential to remain undetected for years.”
In a bid to reduce water loss, the city has been piloting a program through which it lowers devices into the system that can detect leaks with 96 per cent accuracy, before they become more costly and disruptive.
“The loggers are programmed to listen for leaks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.,” says Alberton, “when water usage and traffic noise are usually minimal, resulting in less interference and more accurate readings.”
The public works committee has been told that dozens of leaks have been found and repaired already this year, using the technology, cutting the loss of water by billions of litres and saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary treatment costs.
Alberton says he’ll be seeking a budget increase of $288,000 next year to purchase the equipment to make the program permanent, which will also require hiring two staff members.
Ward 8 Coun. John Paul Danko says the results of the pilot program are a “good news story” for the city.
“Not only is it saving money,” agrees Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, “it’s probably preventing a major catastrophe.”
Ferguson adds that “these watermain breaks sometimes go off like a zipper, then you have a huge gusher coming out, road damage and roads closed.”