Deutsche Versuche zur Zustandsbewertung von Wasserleitungen

A large German water supply company, which is responsible for operating thousands of kilometers of pipeline infrastructure that distributes up to 25 million cubic meters of water to around 370,000 people annually, initially planned an extensive exchange program for its water pipes and corresponding road construction work. The water company selected Echologics acoustics technology to help make pipe replacement decisions by surveying approximately 3,300 meters of its decade-old asbestos-cement (AZ) and cast iron water supply network. With the aim of determining the structural condition and detecting leaks in the critical AZ pipes, the field technicians conducted Echologics' e-Pulse® technology to assess the acoustic conditionand leak detection .

This nondisruptive method drew several other surrounding water utility companies to witness the use of technologies that required minimal site preparation and were carried out without a single groundbreaking ceremony. Although no leaks were found during the investigation, the average remaining wall thickness of the segments of the aqueduct was determined from good to poor condition for each segment. These results helped the company determine the replacement needs for the buried water pipe infrastructure.

These non-invasive acoustic methods are new to the German water industry, and Echologics has successfully demonstrated how effective and valuable the data can be as part of the asset management process for prioritizing the rehabilitation and renewal of pipelines.

Written by: Julia de Zwart