Water Management

WATER MANAGEMENT DIGITAL WATER MONITORING PROVIDES COLLEGE LEAK RELIEF

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Oatridge Campus in West Lothian is set within land covering 2.8 square kilometres. The campus houses livestock buildings, farm land, college buildings and student accommodation. Water retailer, Business Stream, began working with the College in April 2020 and provided an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) device at the site, in order to track water consumption in 15-minute intervals. Following analysis of AMR reader data in June 2020, Business Stream technicians found that the site was consuming 3,500 litres per hour, every hour of the day. This was highly unusual as the statistics were recorded during the UK’s national lockdown period when large parts of the College were not being used. Business Stream was quick to raise its concerns to the College and set about investigating the matter.

As a result of the work carried out, SRUC was able to save around £46,000 per year in avoidable water and waste water charges and significantly reduce its impact on the environment. A detailed summary of what was involved in the project is provided below. SOUNDING OUT THE ISSUE

Given the unusually high readings, the water expert’s specialist Leak Detection Team was mobilised to assess whether there was a fault in the College’s extensive pipe infrastructure. However, this task was complicated due to the campus’ intricate pipe network, with large sections of piping containing several connections and branches.

The team commenced its investigation using sensitive noise correlation equipment. This equipment is designed to identify leaks on underground pipes whilst removing the need to excavate. Typically, acoustic sensors are placed in contact with the pipe, at two or more points, and will pick up the noise emitted by a leak somewhere between the points. The highly-tuned equipment helps to identify an exact area of interest on a length of pipe, which can vary from slight cracks to larger, more intense bursts.

Once the acoustic investigation was completed, a number of areas across the campus were identified which exhibited signs of unusual activity and leaks. These anomalies were quickly repaired and the AMR profile checked, but unusually the remedial works made very little impact on the water consumption figures. DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER

After discussions with the customer, the decision was taken to install isolation valves across the campus. This helped the engineers by ensuring they could segregate smaller sections of the campus to examine the pipework in greater detail.

The work was initiated by isolating the valve closest to the meter. If there were no leaks on this section of pipe, the dials on the meter should stop turning indicating that no water was flowing through the section. This process was repeated at each isolation valve and monitored using the noise correlation equipment.

By using this methodical approach, the leak was identified under a road at a significant depth where the burst location was adjacent to a surface water drain. This meant that the leaking water was running straight into the drain out of sight. Because there were no visible signs of the water above ground, the engineers would not have been able to identify and resolve the issue without the AMR data and leak identification solutions. PLOUGHING ON

Engineers on the ground noticed a slight dip in the road surface and were told the stop tap chamber in the road had been renewed within the last year. The team went on to remove the cover so that they could check the chamber using noise correlation equipment, which led to them discovering a noise on the fitting.

Having identified the problem area, the team excavated on the stop tap and located a leak on a coupler. The joint was repaired and the service reactivated and re-sounded, but there was still a continuing noise on the fittings. To explore this further, the engineers carried out a wider ground-sound and located an area approximately 20m away for further excavation and examination. Again, the team found water surfacing in the exposed site.

Another excavation was carried out on the other side of the concrete and, when the supply was turned on, the burst was confirmed within the ducted sector. This section of pipe was cut out at either end, pulled through the duct and replaced with a new 32mm polyethylene pipe.

Once the supply was turned on, an additional fitting just beyond the end of the excavation was found to be leaking, so it also had to be replaced. After the fix had been installed, the engineering team sounded the area and found no sound on the acoustic equipment, confirming successful application. PASSING WITH FLYING COLOURS

In total, four leaks were repaired on one section of pipe and, after checking the AMR profile once the repairs were made, the baseline water consumption level was reduced from 3,500 litres per hour to zero.

This solution helped SRUC dramatically reduce its environmental impact by preserving water and saved the College around £46,000 per year in avoidable water and waste water charges. In addition, Business Stream supported the College to make a burst allowance claim, which more than covered the cost of the leakage detection and repair work.

By utilising technology, digital monitoring devices and the experience of Business Stream’s technicians, the College can continue to operate efficiently, safe in the knowledge the issue has been resolved.

“If it wasn’t for Julie Lindsay at Business Stream’s vigilance in identifying the increased usage, as well as their Leak Detection Team’s persistence in locating the leak, we would still be losing water at the rate we were – and, more importantly, losing this commodity to the tune of £46,000 per year. I would like to personally thank Julie and the team at Business Stream for the actions that they took and the professional manner in which they carried out the works to a successful conclusion”. Gordon Ogilvie, Faculty FM Business Partner – Central Region – Campus and Estates Services, SRUC. https://www.business-stream.co.uk/

INCREASING SUSTAINABLE WATER PRODUCTION ‘WILL UNDERPIN ALL OTHER CHALLENGES’

There is certainly no denying that the climate emergency is incredibly serious and action must be taken now in order to ensure that we do all we can to protect the earth’s finite resources - but when faced with so many unique and different challenges, it can be hard to even know where to begin.

However, prioritising sustainable water production could help drive progress on all other major global challenges, with Madeleine Bell, strategy and special projects lead for Desolenator explaining in an article for the World Economic Forum that, since water is the most fundamental and valuable resource we have, it will “underpin the success or failure of every other challenge that we face”.

She went on to say that it is essential to refocus attention on interventions that can drive progress for numerous challenges at the same time, with clean water the strongest building block there is.

However, 2025 is fast approaching and this is when experts predict that half of the global population will not enjoy reliable access to clean water - and this will certainly affect us here in the UK, despite our famously wet climate.

London, for example, is the ninth global city considered to be at critical risk of Day Zero, when demand outstrips supply, with serious shortfalls expected to be seen inside the next five years.

Prioritising accessible and reliable water supplies will mean that the world will increase its progress towards zero hunger (since agriculture makes up 70 per cent of water use worldwide), improve health and wellbeing, increase gender equality (since women and girls are mainly responsible for water collection, impinging on education and other opportunities), improve industrial productivity and so on.

Ms Bell concluded: “The world is still fatigued by the unique challenges of 2020, but we are buoyed by the positive global dialogues such as COP26 and the UN Decade for Oceans. This shows it is more important than ever to focus on high-impact interventions.

“Reliable, accessible and sustainable supplies of clean water are the strongest foundation we have to ensure the long-term success of our other challenges. Without it, we are effectively building on sand and risk wasting precious time, financing and resources.”

Where England is concerned, it seems that action is now being taken to determine the areas of water stress around the country, with the Environment Agency having recently launched a consultation to investigate this.

It will provide evidence on water resources so that water suppliers experiencing the greatest pressure can introduce the most appropriate water-saving solutions to help improve future water management and ensure that streams, lakes and rivers are afforded proper protection.

Water stress maps have now been created, using data from suppliers and the National Framework for Water Resources, taking into account environmental needs, water availability to 2050, the impacts of population growth and climate change, leakage improvements and planned water efficiency. www. h2obuildingservices.co.uk

WITH NO SIGN THAT THE SQUEEZE ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING WILL BE RELAXED ANY TIME SOON, PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCES WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

THE WATER AUDIT EXPERTS

The challenge laid down to public sector bodies is simply this – find more efficient, cost-effective ways to spend taxpayers’ money, while maintaining service levels. Waste is simply no longer an option, from procurement through to utilities.

H2O Building Services helps public sector bodies reduce unnecessary costs by cutting their water bills. By lowering water usage, improving efficiency and monitoring bills for overcharging, we save organisations an average of 30% on their water costs. When you are looking for ways to keep a lid on budgets, that is not to be sniffed at.

CUTTING WATER COSTS

Our professional consultancy team can draw on more than 30 years’ experience1 in the water industry. We understand water supply and sewerage services inside out and we specialise in managing costs across large, complex organisations.

We offer a complete end-to-end service for water cost reduction, from checking your bills are accurate and fair through to installing on-premise systems which will help save you money over time. We have earned a strong reputation for outstanding service and achieving impressive results for public sector clients. Read about how we saved Haringey Council £40,0002 after carrying out a full audit of water usage across all of its premises. Or find out how we saved HM Prison Service £57,0003 after identifying a water leak at HM Pankhurst, and also by cutting sewage charges for laundry effluent.

GETTING STARTED

In the first instance, we will ask a public sector client to supply water billing records for all of its properties, stretching back several years if possible.

We understand that public sector organisations are large and may operate a high number of premises. But this is a crucial step which can straight away help us identify whether charges look right for the type and use of the property. After carrying out a thorough analysis of billing records, we will audit water use4 , including carrying out site visits where we think it necessary. The water audit will form the basis of all recommendations we make for cutting water costs, from reducing water use to seeking refunds for overcharging, tackling leaks and waste to ongoing monitoring.

WATER BILL REFUNDS

If we spot mistakes in the water bills for any of your properties, we will advise whether they have led to you being overcharged. If you have paid too much for your water services, our experienced consultants will seek a refund on your behalf from your water supplier.

ONGOING MONITORING

We understand that reducing costs is not a one-off exercise, but part and parcel of daily life for public sector organisations. We can help you keep on top of your water billing long term, making sure you are never charged more than you should be and keeping your water usage in check.

REDUCING WATER WASTE

One of the biggest causes of inflated costs on water bills is waste. If, for example, you have one or more leaks at any of your properties, you will be charged for that excess water which you never use. In addition, you could be incurring extra costs for water drainage, not to mention potentially massive bills for water damage repairs.

We offer full site surveys as part of our consultancy service, including water leak detection5. If we identify a problem, we will first compile a full report, outlining the size of the leak, the potential damage it might be causing, and the impact on your bills. We will then submit a cost proposal for repairs, aiming to achieve a robust, quality solution in the most cost-effective and least disruptive way possible.

We can also recommend installations aimed at

improving water efficiency6

at your premises.

These include things like Flow-Tec P.I.R urinal flush controls, Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) and Aeroflow low flow showers. We can also advise on water recycling7 for using waste water in things like lavatory systems. Again, all proposals are fully costed, and we will also include an expected payback period, usually achieving an average of between 9 and 12 months. Through our water bill validation8 , we will check each bill before your receive it, vetting it against actual usage and resolving any discrepancies with your supplier before it comes to authorising payment.

We also offer Advanced Meter

Reading (AMR)9

a highly sophisticated water tracking technology, which can monitor water flow on an hourly basis. Any unusual spikes in water usage automatically trigger an alert, which we will pick up and respond to straight away.

1. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/about-us/ 2. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/case-studies/haringey-council/ 3. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/case-studies/hm-prison/ 4. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-audits/ 5. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-leak-detection/ 6. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/saving-water/ 7. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-recycling/ 8. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/bill-validation/ 9. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/amr/ Call a your public sector water experts now on 0845 658 0948