Guest Column | October 31, 2024

Stress Relief For Water Distribution Systems

By Ainsley Lawrence

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Identifying challenges and solutions for the management of aging drinking water infrastructure.

Americans use a lot of water — about 82 gallons per day. Per family, over the course of a year, about 9,400 gallons of that is wasted due to leaks, cracks, and faulty plumbing.1 On a national level, this corresponds to over 900 million gallons of wasted water annually.

It’s not just homeowners who are fretting over leaks, cracks, and inefficient plumbing. Many of the nation’s municipalities now face critical challenges of maintaining aging water distribution systems.

Failing to address these issues can lead to significant costs and environmental damage. Municipalities that need to replace or restore their water systems can get ahead of the curve by utilizing emergent technology such as smart sensors and acoustic leak detectors to identify issues and begin proactive maintenance.

Failing to account for the age of pipes and potential contamination can cause exposure to parasites in water systems and increase the risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Assessing The Damage
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) freed up funding for many municipalities that needed to tackle the aging water infrastructure. After decades of underfunding, this represents a much-needed boost to the budgets of many water utility firms and government agencies. The average state is spending 10% of its ARPA budget,2 or $20 million, on water repairs.

The funding that states like Idaho and Alabama (which have contributed $300 million and $600 million, respectively) have poured into water system management must be utilized effectively to ensure that long-standing supply issues are managed properly. Municipalities must address existing and emergent challenges including:

  • Cracks, leaks, and faults
  • Lead service lines
  • Emerging contaminants
  • Climate-related risks such as flooding, storms, and droughts

Municipalities that suspect they need to upgrade their water infrastructure can partner with service providers to properly assess the damage and begin maintenance efforts. Partnering with utility firms can aid efforts to:

  • Detect leaks and assess the severity of the damage
  • Complete non-invasive damage detection to determine the remaining useful life of the infrastructure
  • Monitor pressure in real time
  • Complete no-dig lead service line surveys

Many utility firms now use automated tools to detect signs of damage and schedule repairs. These advanced technologies can aid municipalities’ efforts to assess water quality and schedule maintenance without turning off supply or otherwise disrupting normal functioning.

Assessing Water Quality
Managing aging water systems is as much about tracking poor water quality as it is about improving existing systems’ efficiency. Effectively assessing the quality of the water on offer through public systems is key, as research published by the U.S. EPA3 shows that water quality can be undermined by factors such as:

  • Biofilms
  • Corrosion
  • Intrusion
  • Leaching
  • Water age

This can undermine public health and increase the risk of waterborne disease. Failing to account for the age of pipes and potential for contamination can cause exposure to parasites in water systems and increase the risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Smart Tools
Assessing the quality and condition of existing water distribution systems is easier today than ever before. Technicians no longer need to switch off the supply to find leaks and shouldn’t need to manually assess fluctuations in pressure. Instead, modern utility firms can lean on a host of smart tools that collect and analyze water-related Big Data. This can help municipalities keep track of:

  • Water demand
  • Flow
  • Pressure
  • Asset condition
  • Pressure transients

Keeping track of the data points can reduce the risk of customer disruption and aid efforts to assess changes in water distribution systems. Delving into the realm of Big Data can help municipalities prioritize elements of their system that are in greater need of repair/ replacement than others. This can smooth out efforts to improve supply, reduce leakage, and reduce the risk of bursts.

Predictive Maintenance Solutions
Many aging water distribution systems do not need to be replaced immediately. However, systems that are coming toward the end of their usefulness need to be regularly maintained using proactive tools that maximize the lifespan of the equipment. Municipalities can extend equipment longevity by following equipment maintenance best practices:

  • Simple maintenance tasks like lubricating, cleaning, and replacing minor worn parts such as valves
  • Regularly retraining employees to reduce wear and tear
  • Improving public awareness of non-flushable items to reduce strain on water systems
  • An emergency response plan to improve recovery times if an aging water system becomes damaged

A proactive approach to maintenance can reduce long-term costs while protecting the public from issues like contaminated water. This is key to efforts to manage aging water distribution systems, as replacing water systems will require a coordinated long-term approach to operations.

Collecting Big Data can help municipalities decide whether to replace or repair existing assets. When deciding between repair and replacement, municipalities should consider the costs and performance associated with new assets. Utility firms should also use smart technology to conduct root cause analysis, as this reduces the risk of replacing a part damaged by an upstream fault. Strategically replacing/repairing parts is particularly important today, as water quality regulations are becoming increasingly stringent.

Conclusion
Municipalities finally have the funding they need to replace aging water distribution systems and protect public health. However, governmental agencies will need to lean on smart tools and emergent technology to accurately assess the challenges associated with replacing or repairing existing infrastructure. An AI-driven approach to decision-making can aid efforts to collect key data points and will ensure the leveling up of the nation’s water systems causes minimal disruption.

References:

  1. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts
  2. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/06/03/how-pandemic-recovery-funds-are-helping-states-upgrade-critical-waterinfrastructure
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7147722/

About The Author

Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer who lives in the Northwest region of the U.S. She has a particular interest in covering topics related to tech, cybersecurity, and robotics. When not writing, her free time is spent reading and researching to learn more about her cultural and environmental surroundings. You can follow her on Twitter @AinsleyLawrenc3