Water mains are the oldest municipal infrastructures.  One of the most overlooked aspects of water management is the accurate, low uncertainty, calibration of large water meters -- without which water accounting remains rough estimates and water leakage losses become indeterminate. Thus, trickling/seeping water losses may continue for years, until major water main blow out occurs.    We note that calibration of instruments is a fundamental requirement of all quality management systems, e.g. ISO 9000, ANSI/ASME NQA-1, MIL-i-45208.  Since virtually no urban water distribution utilities have calibration systems for their large water main metering systems, they are essentially operating without rigorous quality management.  Early on-line low level leak detection and location by volume/mass balance will thus remain impossible unless the uncertainty of water flow measurement systems are reduced via calibration -- i.e. leakage will continue and grow.   Given the growing water shortages/drought. and significantly higher costs of recycled and desalinated water, it seems unwise to put additional "new water" into water mains that continue to leak.

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Water mains are the oldest municipal infrastructures.  One of the most overlooked aspects of water management is the accurate, low uncertainty, calibration of large water meters -- without which water accounting remains rough estimates and water leakage losses become indeterminate. Thus, trickling/seeping water losses may continue for years, until major water main blow out occurs. 

 

We note that calibration of instruments is a fundamental requirement of all quality management systems, e.g. ISO 9000, ANSI/ASME NQA-1, MIL-i-45208.  Since virtually no urban water distribution utilities have calibration systems for their large water main metering systems, they are essentially operating without rigorous quality management.  Early on-line low level leak detection and location by volume/mass balance will thus remain impossible unless the uncertainty of water flow measurement systems are reduced via calibration -- i.e. leakage will continue and grow.

 

Given the growing water shortages/drought. and significantly higher costs of recycled and desalinated water, it seems unwise to put additional "new water" into water mains that continue to leak.