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Water loss is not just about leak detection. Customer metering issues can play a significant part in your water loss calculations and reduce your revenues. Source metering issues can make it appear you are losing more water than you are. It is very important to know where your losses are occurring use the appropriate strategies to minimize them.
System Correction Factor (SCF) for the UARL
The original UARL equation was developed by the 1st IWA Water Loss Task Force, 1995-99. Allan Lambert, the equation's originator, has developed a system correction factor SCF for the UARL. This correction factor takes into account the relationship between pipe material and pressure and burst frequency differences with system size. See https://www.wlranda.com/software/uarl-with-scf-us-units/ for more information.
The SCF improves the accuracy of the UARL, especially for small systems <5,000 connections.
The original UARL equation was developed by the 1st IWA Water Loss Task Force, 1995-99. Allan Lambert, the equation's originator, has developed a system correction factor SCF for the UARL. This correction factor takes into account the relationship between pipe material and pressure and burst frequency differences with system size. See https://www.wlranda.com/software/uarl-with-scf-us-units/ for more information.
The SCF improves the accuracy of the UARL, especially for small systems <5,000 connections.
Water Audits and Covid-19?
Could behavior changes affect your water audit for 2020? Utilities which report water loss based upon % loss (Water Supplied - Water Delivered) / Water Supplied could see changes in their % loss due to an increase or decrease in customer usage. If your customer base is primarily residential then your Water Supplied and your Water Delivered may increase due to people staying home and increased washing. If your customer base is primarily commercial; bars, restaurants, hotels, etc. then your Water Supplied and Water Delivered may decrease due to widespread closures.
At first glance it may appear this will not affect your % loss, but it will. As Water Delivered increases the % loss decreases. Conversely, as Water Delivered decreases the % loss increases. The chart below outlines how an increase in Water Delivered can affect the % loss. The Real Water Loss volume will not change as it is not dependent on how much water is used. The amount of water that leaks from the system does not care how much water is used. The volume and cost of water physically leaking from your system is the real concern, or should be. If % loss is unreliable and deceiving then what???
UARL - Unavoidable Annual Real Loss
This is a calculation originally created by Allen Lambert and the 1st IWA Water Loss Task Force (1995-1999). This method has been adopted by AWWA and the International water community.
The calculation requires the following system specific information:
Once a system has an unavoidable loss volume, which can be calculated for any time period, then that volume is compared to the volume of water the system actually loses. This ratio is called the Infrastructure Leakage Index, or ILI.
Visit https://www.waterutilityapp.com/ for more information and a free trial of the user-friendly water audit software, Water Utility App.
Tui Anderson
Water Utility App
[email protected]
https://www.waterutilityapp.com
406-370-0406
Could behavior changes affect your water audit for 2020? Utilities which report water loss based upon % loss (Water Supplied - Water Delivered) / Water Supplied could see changes in their % loss due to an increase or decrease in customer usage. If your customer base is primarily residential then your Water Supplied and your Water Delivered may increase due to people staying home and increased washing. If your customer base is primarily commercial; bars, restaurants, hotels, etc. then your Water Supplied and Water Delivered may decrease due to widespread closures.
At first glance it may appear this will not affect your % loss, but it will. As Water Delivered increases the % loss decreases. Conversely, as Water Delivered decreases the % loss increases. The chart below outlines how an increase in Water Delivered can affect the % loss. The Real Water Loss volume will not change as it is not dependent on how much water is used. The amount of water that leaks from the system does not care how much water is used. The volume and cost of water physically leaking from your system is the real concern, or should be. If % loss is unreliable and deceiving then what???
UARL - Unavoidable Annual Real Loss
This is a calculation originally created by Allen Lambert and the 1st IWA Water Loss Task Force (1995-1999). This method has been adopted by AWWA and the International water community.
The calculation requires the following system specific information:
- Lm = length of mains (miles)
- Nc = number of customer service connections
- Lc = total length of customer service connection piping (miles) - usually 0
- P = Pressure (psi)
- D = Number of days from time period
Once a system has an unavoidable loss volume, which can be calculated for any time period, then that volume is compared to the volume of water the system actually loses. This ratio is called the Infrastructure Leakage Index, or ILI.
Visit https://www.waterutilityapp.com/ for more information and a free trial of the user-friendly water audit software, Water Utility App.
Tui Anderson
Water Utility App
[email protected]
https://www.waterutilityapp.com
406-370-0406
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Water loss control is not just about leak detection...
The distinction between real and apparent water loss is very important. Real losses are valued at your production cost of water. Apparent losses are valued at the retail cost, this is your water rates. Determining where your losses are and how much they cost you, in $$$, provides you with valuable information.
The Boston area is seeing changes in water usage which will lead to % loss increases or decreases, see this article https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/water-use-declined-boston-stay-at-home-order-not-everywhere/2121513/
The Boston area is seeing changes in water usage which will lead to % loss increases or decreases, see this article https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/water-use-declined-boston-stay-at-home-order-not-everywhere/2121513/