Water utilities and developers

Water operations and leakage management

Setting economic leakage targets

Leakage within a distribution system is perceived to be waste, and hence an unnecessary cost for customers and the environment to bear.

Reduction in leakage/NRW may not be economically viable for the water undertaking based solely on operating costs alone. However, such reductions may enable the deferment of major capital schemes and in turn also help with the abstraction requirements for an undertaking. These savings can be significant to an organisation. Undertakings therefore need to be able to justify their leakage management/NRW Reduction policy

and targets in the light of these economic and environmental circumstances.

In addition, the establishment of the level of leakage, which balances the interests of the undertaking, its customers and the environment, requires careful consideration.

The general characteristics of a distribution system - demand, pressure and infrastructure, are unique and targets relevant to particular areas need to be established in the early stages of a reduction programme.

The strategy for Leakage/NRW reduction needs to take account of the existing leakage and target levels together with the Undertaking's other investment activities particularly related to the distribution system.

For example, there may be reduced benefit in investment in Leakage/NRW reduction in specific areas, if there may be other proposals to replace mains for water quality reasons.

Priorities can only be established if the potential savings and cost of leakage in particular areas can be identified. This approach necessitates quantifying the current level of leakage.

The first step is identifying the level of Leakage/NRW through the use of a water audit /water balance.