UKWIR publishes guide to managing trunk mains leakage

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) has published best practice guidance in a bid to help the water industry better understand and manage leakage in trunk mains.

The guidance is based on research by Atkins to support water companies on the creation and maintenance of upstream Trunk Main Flow Monitoring Zones (FMZs), with detailed advice on how to develop them.

Associate director and leakage service line lead at Atkins, Dave Collins, said trunk mains were the “poor relation with regards to full and accurate sensing, monitoring and maintenance.” The guidance, he said, includes the knowledge and technology gain “actionable insight into managing trunk main leakage and help water companies account for every drop of water.”

Leakage strategy manager at Severn Trent Water, Paul Taylor, and a member of the UKWIR project steering group, said: “As the industry moves more towards mass balancing for upstream losses, the guidance will be particularly useful in applying as much rigour to the trunk mains network as we do for distribution networks.”