How GIS can help in Water Leak Detection

Addressing water leaks has become a major concern for the water boards and is keeping them always on the brink of losing their feet completely considering the demand for water.

Water leaks costs consumers as well as utilities a lot of money which has forced the industries to look for a solution that can minimise the loss. The sooner the leakage is detected, the better it is for the utility.

Looking at water loss, is a problem that can be prevented if detected early which can be fixed instantly.

But, the challenge with detection is that only bigger leaks get detected mostly after the pipe bursts.  

For that to address, we have a solution today as satellites can ​detect leaks as ​small as 0.5 l/​min.

Being the most ​precise, they ​are the fastest. ​ They do not ​require any ​manual labour ​nor anyone on ​the field as it uses ​microwaves ​echography. ​

Source: TWN

Microwaves are ​electromagnetic ​radiation with ​the wavelengths ​between 1 m and ​1 mm and ​frequencies ​between 300 MHz ​(100 cm) and ​300 GHz (0.1 cm)​. ​

Specifically, ​microwaves are ​chosen because ​they do not ​diffract on ​hills, they do ​to reflect from ​the ionosphere ​and, most ​importantly, ​they differentiate ​clean treated ​water from ​other kinds (​dirty water, ​saltwater.)

Microwaves are ​absorbed by ​water and metal ​and do not ​reflect from it, ​so it is easy ​to detect a ​leak. ​In other words, the ​dielectric ​constant ​of pure water ​makes it easy ​to detect a ​leak. ​

With the ​increase of the ​dielectric ​constant, the ​electric flux ​density will ​increase which makes the detection easy. ​

As the water has ​high dielectric ​permittivity, ​which enables ​the detection ​and measurement ​of water in ​soil. ​

The exact ​wavelength of ​microwaves from ​the satellites ​is, therefore, ​set based on ​the very ​specific ​dielectric ​constant of ​pure water, in ​addition to the ​ability of the ​microwave with ​a specific ​wavelength to ​penetrate the ​ground. ​

Moreover, the ​frequency has ​effect and ​needs to be ​considered ​since the ​microwaves on ​different ​frequencies are ​differently ​absorbed by ​vapour in the ​atmosphere. ​

The images ​collected by ​satellites are ​overlaid on GIS ​systems and ​processed. This ​shows a clear ​image of water ​leaks and the ​position of ​pipelines in ​the infrastructure. ​ 

As of now, what we see today is that, most of the utilities or the water boards had a tough time understanding the importance of technology and how it can help in fixing the leaks on time to save a lot money and water before it’s too late.