Siemens develops leak location and monitoring system to reduce losses in drinking water supplies

Precise knowledge of water losses is essential for operating and planning the maintenance of drinking water networks efficiently. The condition of the pipes cannot be continuously monitored, but an indication can be obtained, for example, from the volume of water losses. There is a wide variety of ways of doing this, but they are generally only applied at selected points.

For example, some are based on the evaluation of noise levels emanating from leaks in the networks of water pipes. This investigation is performed either at regular intervals, such as annually, or only when leaks are suspected. However, such a procedure makes it difficult to detect a suspected leak immediately.

This is the strength of the new Siemens Siwa LeakControl location and monitoring system, which not only continuously checks for leaks, but also pinpoints them automatically. This is done by setting up district metering areas, in which the inflows and outflows of water are measured by ultrasonic flow meters. Existing measuring systems, such as magnetic inductive flow meters, can, of course, also be integrated. The measurements are passed to an evaluation system, which detects leaks and allocates them to the individual zones by statistical methods and a model-based, network-wide mass balance. The suspected leaks are then found by temporarily installed acoustic sensors, and finally pinpointed down to the exact meter by correlators.

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the worldwide leading supplier of environmentally friendly production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. With integrated automation technologies and comprehensive industry-specific solutions, Siemens increases the productivity, efficiency and flexibility of its customers in the fields of industry and infrastructure. The Sector consists of six divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility und Osram. With around 207,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry achieved in fiscal year 2009 total sales of approximately €35 billion.

The Siemens Industry Solutions Division (Erlangen, Germany) is one of the world's leading solution and service providers for industrial and infrastructure facilities comprising the business activities of Siemens VAI Metals Technologies, Water Technologies and Industrial Technologies. Activities include engineering and installation, operation and service for the entire life cycle. A wide-ranging portfolio of environmental solutions helps industrial companies to use energy, water and equipment efficiently, reduce emissions and comply with environmental guidelines. With around 31,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry Solutions posted sales of €6.8 billion in fiscal year 2009.