District repairs eight out of nine detected leaks

The Hicksville Water District (HWD) recently conducted a comprehensive leak detection survey to report on potential leaks occurring within portions of its distribution system. Leaks in the distribution system can easily go undetected, as the water mains are several feet below the surface. Through these efforts, the district identified the locations of nine leaks, eight of which received immediate repairs. This will keep thousands of gallons of water from escaping the water mains.
“Maintaining our infrastructure is a vital component of what makes the Hicksville Water District run effectively,” HWD Chairman Nicholas Brigandi said. “Our community invests a great deal of money into our water and the last thing we want to do is waste it. This is especially the case during the spring and summer with water usage at its peak, making it as important as ever that we do not let any water go unused.”

The district contracted New York Leak Detection, Inc. (NYLD) to conduct the survey, which involved inspecting fire hydrants, in-line main valves and service valves. The company was able to identify the source of nine leaks, reporting back to the district with recommendations on how to remedy the issues. These leaks were resulting in 58,250 gallons of water lost per day, which would equate to 21.3 million gallons per year.
Leak detection is the art and science of using non-intrusive methods to search for, find and mark-out leak locations on pressurized pipelines. There are innumerable variables involved in locating underground utilities, such as topography, size and complexity of job site, depth and proximity of buried utilities, above ground obstructions, short turnaround schedules, changes in the scope of work, lack of (or outdated) blueprints and adverse weather conditions.

NYLD used three types of equipment during the survey, including an RD8000 Pipe & Cable Locator, an LC2500 Leak Correlator and an S-30 Surveyor. The LC2500 Leak Correlator, coupled with acoustic testing, was used to determine leak locations. Suspected leak sources were discovered by finding correlations between contact points. This aided NYLD in showing the district where exactly it would need to work in order to fix individual leaks, greatly increasing the efficiency with which the district could solve the problem.
Leak detection surveys help the HWD to maintain its infrastructure, further ensuring that residents continue to receive top-quality service while conserving as much water as possible.

—Submitted by the Hicksville Water District