Mike Simpson M.E. SIMPSON Co Inc.

1. Reducing Water System Leakage
and Real Losses via Technology
Smart Water Utilities USA 2023 – Orange County, CA
Michael Simpson, CEO

2. Water Loss Control – Non-Revenue Water
• Meeting best management practices as well as regulations through
AWWA M36 and the Water Audit Software
• Focusing your efforts on the reduction of Non-Revenue Water
• Through active leakage programs
• Through active condition assessment programs

3. M36: Water Audits & Loss Control Programs

4. How to Get the Free
AWWA Water Audit Software
• Go to awwa.org
• Select Water Loss Control Committee from the Resource and
Tools menu
• Scroll down the Water Loss Control Committee page and
select AWWA Water Loss Control Committee Free Water
Audit Software
• When spreadsheet appears execute a “save as” to place a
copy in your own system

5. Water
Imported
Own
Sources
Total
System
Input
( allow
for
known
errors )
Total
System
Input
(allow
for
known
errors)
Water
Supplied
Water
Exported
Water
Supplied
Water
Exported
Water
Losses
Authorized
Consumption
Water
Losses
Authorized
Consumption
Real
Losses
Apparent
Losses
Unbilled
Authorized
Consumption
Billed
Authorized
Consumption
Non-
Revenue
Water
Revenue
Water
Leakage & Overflows at Storage
Billed Unmetered Consumption
Billed Metered Consumption
Billed Water Exported
Leakage on Service Lines
(before the meter)
Leakage on Mains
Customer Metering & Data Inaccuracies
Unauthorized Consumption
Unbilled Unmetered Consumption
Unbilled Metered Consumption
Start here
Move this direction
AWWA Standard Water Balance

6. Partnership with Echologics®
Using AI/Machine Intelligent Technology

7. Leak Detection Technologies
Echologics®
• EchoShore®-DX
• Acoustic sensors attached to fire hydrant
• EchoShore®-DXe
• Acoustic sensors attached to valves
• EchoShore®- M
• Transmission main leak detection
• PipeRank™
• AI/machine learning technology that provides predictive
prioritization of pipe failure
• Echologics ePulse®
• Pipeline condition assessment while also simultaneously
searches for leaks

8. Echologics: Remote Leak Detection
• Continuous leak
monitoring
• Intelligent algorithms to
separate leakage noise
from other noise
• Deployment of leak
crews to pinpoint leaks

9. Echologics: Remote Leak Detection
• DXH - Hydrant caps
• DXE – Nodes for valves

10. Echologics: Remote Leak Detection Node
Deployment

11. Echologics: EchoShore Mobile
Used for Non-Invasive Large Diameter Acoustic Water
Main Leak Investigations

12. Echologics: EchoShore Mobile

13. Real Losses
• Leakage on watermains
and Large Diameter Pipe
• Significant financial impact
and water loss on system
• Can cause catastrophic
failure on transmission
mains

14. Real Losses
Criticality of Large Diameter Pipe Aging Infrastructure / Predictive Failure

15. Real Losses
Expense of Failing Infrastructure Criticality of Failure (72” Main Break)

16. Value of Large Diameter Leak Detection
• The previous picture
described a catastrophic
failure of a large water
main.
• Focusing leak detection
services on diameters of
20” and greater can help in
mitigating catastrophic
failure.
• Caught early, a small leak
can be repaired before it
becomes a big leak and
before it actually fails.

17. Value of Large Diameter Leak Detection
Proactive Leak Detection on
large diameter pipes provides
benefits to your utility:
• Reduced Non-Revenue
Water
• Reduced Liability of
Catastrophic Failure
• Proactive Approach

18. Value of Pipeline
Condition
Assessment
Our infrastructure is old and it is
beginning to fail. Everyone is aware
of this, but the bigger question is,
what are we going to do about it?
The cost of pipeline replacement
nation wide is in the Trillions of
Dollars.
From a local perspective, replacing
a mile of water main is in excess of
$1,000,000.00.

19. Value of Pipeline
Condition
Assessment
Gathering information and data
about your water main network is a
good start.
• Pipe Age/Installation/material
• Water Main Break Info
• Corrosion Control Info
• Soils Info
Using both PipeRank™ and ePulse®
Will assist you in Effectively and
efficiently planning which pipes to
replace in your system.

20. Echologics: ePulse
Used for Non-Invasive Pipeline Condition Assessment

21. Value of Pipeline
Condition
Assessment
• Using today’s technology to
capture critical information on
your water main network.
• Knowing the condition of your
pipelines.
• Accurate data makes for effective
use of your dollars.

22. Exclusive Partnership with Electro Scan
Machine Intelligent Technology
Using Focused Electrode Leak Detection (FELL)

23. Leak Detection Technologies
Electro Scan
• Electro Scan – Trident
• Push cable system, 4” to 10” pipe diameter, 400’, CCTV and Focused
Electrode Leak Location (FELL)
• Electro Scan – Delta
• Tethered cable system, 4” to 60” hydro-chute propulsion, 2k CCTV,
acoustic and Focused Electrode Leak Location (FELL)
• Electro Scan – Swordfish
• Lead service line detection & leak detection

24. Locational
Accuracy
3/8”
GPM
Defect Flow
Rate
Focused Electrode
Leak Location
FELL

25. Trident
• Electro Scan’s Trident tool
• Machine learning technology
using 4K video, and Electro Scans
Fell technology
• Pipe Lines 8” to 36”
• 200’ to 400’ per insertion,
tethered

26. Trident Video

27. Plainfield Charter Township, MI

28. Water Loss Control
• Electro Scan’s Delta tool
• Machine learning technology
using 2K CCTV, Acoustic and
Electro Scans Fell technology
• Providing high quality leak
detection and condition
assessment in Pipe Lines 8” to
60”
• 3,000’ per insertion, tethered

30. Electroscan: Swordfish
Lead Pipe Detection
World’s first hand-held buried lead
pipe detection tool. Using an auto-
fed cable and low-voltage
conductivity probe, Swordfish
automatically identifies lead pipes.
Readings are transmitted in real-
time to Electro Scan’s Critical H20
cloud application, with results
independently verified using 3M
lead test kits for 100% verification
of lead pipe.

32. Summary
• Committing resources to Large Diameter & Distribution Water Main Leak
Detection will provide benefits, through the reduction of non-revenue
water, reducing the risk of catastrophic failure and begin proactive.
• Performing Pipeline Condition Assessment will provide benefits through
effective capital planning, replacing pipes based on quality information
with sound engineering analysis. With a side benefit of reducing non-
revenue water.
• There is a plethora of new and effective technology available today to
assist with your infrastructure and water loss needs.

33. Questions

34. Thank you!
Michael Simpson, CEO
michael.simpson@mesimpson.com
mesimpson.com