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Case study
Early leak detection on a water distribution network
A treatment plant and the network it supplies, where a burst pipe was only discovered when someone complained about having no water.
A representative scenario, built from the problems we see most often in this kind of site. Exact figures vary from one installation to another.
Starting point
The network supplies two sectors from a treated-water reservoir, with pressure measured only at the plant outlet, once a day, by the shift operator.
Main problem
A burst somewhere in the network dropped pressure without anyone at the plant knowing, and the first sign was a resident's call hours after the leak had started.
Solution put in place
Pressure and flow sensors at critical points of the network feed COA Água. A pressure drop with rising flow triggers a probable-burst alert, and the operator can isolate the affected sector from the screen while the team is on the way.
Key results
After instrumenting the network:
time between the burst and its detection
non-revenue water
filter service life, with backwashing at the right moment
Day to day
What the team sees on screen
COA Água — Sinóptico da redeMimic of the plant and the network, with both sectors' pressure live.
Setor Norte — FichaThe network's critical point: pressure, flow and the last few minutes of history.
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