Field Demonstration of Innovative Leak Detection/Location Technologies in Conjunction with Pipe Wall Thickness Testing for Water Mains

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored a large-scale field demonstration of innovative leak detection/location and condition assessment technologies on a 76-year old, 2,000-ft long, cement-lined, 24-in. cast iron water main in Louisville, KY from July through September 2009. Six inspection companies demonstrated a total of 12 technologies that were at various stages of development and provided different types and levels of structural condition data. For the study purposes, simulated leaks with various leak rates and machined defects with various sizes were pre-installed on the pipeline. Natural leaks identified by the technologies were excavated at selected locations to confirm the presence/absence of leaks. Approximately 200 ft of pipe segments were exhumed and examined in laboratories for comparison with the results from field inspections. This paper presents the results of three leak detection/location technologies (i.e., Sahara®, SmartBall®, and LeakfinderRT) in conjunction with pipe wall thickness testing deployed on the same inspection platforms.