Octoflow

The problem:

When our lead leakage technicians are sent into a problematic DMA to locate a hard-to-find leak they will often use a technique known as step-testing – which is a way of breaking the DMA down into smaller zones to identify exactly where the leak is occurring.

There are a number of risks associated with step-testing because valves on the network need to be closed, resulting in a temporary interruption to supply for some customers and the potential to cause a water quality issue.

The alternative is to use metered overland riders which means that supplies can be maintained but there is still a water quality risk. Both methods require a lot of planning and sampling which can be labour intensive and expensive.

The solution:

This idea came out of Innovate East, not directly from a sprint but from the networking opportunities as a result of the event.

We are looking to develop a mobile flow meter which can be installed through any hydrant on the network to give a value of the instantaneous flow at that point.

This would enable the step testing method to be applied without any need for valve operations - miniming the water quality risk.

There would also be a significant time saving on the planning and duration of this type of survey.

Where we are today:

An initial prototype has been developed and is ready to be tested in the field to see if it can be installed on a pressurised main so the accuracy of the flow measurements can be checked.