Water resources play a very important role when it comes to the economic development of a country. As many of you might be aware that this resource is scarce and efforts of conserving it through various methods such as leakage reduction programs are very essential for water sustainability. A huge amount of water gets lost in the distribution process and one of the major reasons for happening is water leakage. If a certain amount of such non-revenue water (NRW) is reduced, then a lot of water can be saved which can contribute towards more sustainable cities.
In an ideal world, the water distribution system must be capable of providing enough water to various demand points such as commercial, industrial, and domestic. In many countries, the problem of water network leakage causes significant water pressure problems at the end consumers water tap. The level of water loss in a reticulation system is divided into two parts; one is known as background leakage and the other is referred to as burst-related leakage. In order to address such leakage, one must be aware of the various factors that caused the water leakage situation. Go through the given factors that cause water leakage problems.
1) Pipe Material: One of the major factors that cause leakage in the system is the material quality of the pipe which is used. After evaluation of various cases, it was noticed that the highest proportion of leakage was occurring on pipes of iron material (cast iron, ductile iron). So, always keep a note of the quality of pipe that is used; and the era which it was manufactured (for example, post WW2, there was a range of poorly manufactured pipeline materials).
2) Pipe Diameter: A pipe diameter has an impact on the level of leakage in the distribution system. The higher the diameter of the pipe means the thicker shell of the pipe which means that in such a situation the pipe resistance increases against the inside pressure as well the surface.
3) Pipe Pressure: Another factor that causes a major impact on the water supply system is pressure. More pressure results in higher chances of leakage mishaps and water loss issues. Also, a low amount of pressure results in providing an unsatisfactory flow of water. So, it is very important to note that water pressure is well balanced. Any water pressure changes if required must be done in a defined and standard manner to avoid any problem in the water distribution system.
4) Pipe Age: This specific factor of pipe age impacts the water leakage in both ways directly as well as indirectly. During a study it was found that increasing the age of the water pipe can make the water loss percentage high up to 50%, it is a huge amount of water loss. Thus, keeping a note of timely pipe change is a must.
5) Temperature effects: When there is high temperature then the obstruction of the pipe with artificial material such as polyethylene, plastic and such descends without any doubt. In case if the coverage is not enough or the depth isn’t adequate then the low temperature can even lead to freezing. This freezing results in an increase of tension inside the pipes.
All the above-given points are some of the major causes of water leakage. Many times, the necessary points get skipped which results in the problem of water leakage. Using advanced technology like acoustic leak detection devices Australia can help the water leakage issues to a major extent. Thus, make sure that proper care of all the above-listed causes is taken into consideration to avoid water loss of any kind. Always remember that implement comprehensive and well developed water loss management projects, at an early stage, can help in saving a significant amount of water for future generations.
