SiteMap® utility mapping data assisted a GPRS Project Manager in providing emergency leak detection services and minimizing construction downtime at a post office in Oxnard, California.
GPRS Project Manager Rolando Medina responded to the building where construction was halted, and water shut off due to the leak.
“The building didn’t have any water because the only [shut-off] valve was at the backflow preventer, which was three to four feet from the meter,” he explained.
This was the second water leak to occur around this same construction project at the post office. Because the water lines only sit two to three feet below ground, they were likely cracking as heavy vehicles rolled over top.
Leaking water lines cause non-revenue water (NRW) loss, soil erosion, contamination of drinking water, and other problems that can endanger a community and cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair.
To prevent this from happening in Oxnard, Medina deployed acoustic leak detection to quickly locate the leaking water line and pinpoint the leak.
Acoustic leak detection is among the oldest and most commonly employed techniques for locating leaks in buried water pipes. It operates on the principle that pressurized water escaping from a pipe generates a characteristic sound. These leak noises travel through the pipe material and the surrounding soil, where they can be identified using specialized tools.
When conducting acoustic leak detection, GPRS Project Managers use sensitive listening devices, such as ground microphones or acoustic sensors, to detect the sound of water escaping from a pipe. These devices can pick up the vibrations and noises caused by the leak, even when they are not audible to the human ear.
The detected sounds are analyzed to distinguish between typical background noise and specific frequencies associated with leaks. Factors such as the type of pipe material, soil conditions, and the size of the leak can affect the sound’s characteristics.
By moving the sensors along the pipeline and comparing the intensity and frequency of the sounds, GPRS Project Managers can estimate the leak’s location with a high degree of accuracy, eliminating the need for destructive potholing.
Medina was able to add an additional layer of accuracy thanks to SiteMap® (patent pending), GPRS’ project & facility management application that provides accurate existing conditions documentation to protect your assets and people.
During the first leak investigation at the post office the Project Manager had located and mapped not only the leaking water line, but the rest of the buried infrastructure in its vicinity. This protected these other utilities from being damaged as repairs were made to fix the leak.
All GPRS clients receive complimentary SiteMap® Personal access when they hire us to complete a utility locate. This means the accurate, field-verified data is at your fingertips 24/7, from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. And it’s there for future contractors and subcontractors to use during their work, a permanent, single source of truth to help your entire team plan, design, manage, dig, and ultimately build better.
Medina was able to reference this SiteMap® data to identify a two-inch PVC water line running through the area where water was surfacing. This allowed him to narrow his search path while investigating for the second leaking water line, reducing time on site and expediting the repair process.
“Using our SiteMap® platform not only are we able to see where the subsurface utilities are running, but we can also keep track of leak and other pertinent information to help facilities maintain accurate information,” Medina said.
With Medina’s help the leaking water line was soon excavated and repaired, water service to the post office was restored, and construction could resume.
From pinpointing leaking water lines, to visualizing entire skyscrapers in 3D modeling software, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep you on time, on budget, and safe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles of pipe can GPRS test in one day?
Our Project Managers can test up to 10 miles of pipe a day on a metallic system (cast iron/ductile) and a contact point (hydrant/valve) per minute.
Why do professional leak detection companies like GPRS often work in the early hours of the morning?
Our acoustic listening equipment is highly sensitive and amplifies leaks and other noises which mask leak signals during the day. If we work in city environments, there is often a significant amount of ambient noise. This noise includes airplanes, traffic, mowers, machinery, and most importantly, people using water. It is up to the Leak Detector to determine if night work should be utilized to minimize all other noise to focus on the leak signal.
Can GPRS determine the size of a located leak?
After analyzing thousands of previous leaks detected, we asked clients to send us pictures of the remediation. This information has helped us compare our final leak signal detected with the results of the actual leak. We determine the size of the leak by how far the leak signal travels between contact points and the pitch of the tone received. However, we do not produce formal leak estimations.
Why don’t I see any water at the location where you’ve pinpointed the leak?
Water finds the path of least resistance. Water can run through cracks in subsurface rock or make its way into storm, sanitary, and conduit piping. If the subsurface contains a high volume of sand, it will naturally flow farther down. There is no water visible on the surface in more than 99% of the leaks we locate.
