Regional councils across New South Wales face the persistent challenge of high non-revenue water (NRW) volumes. Aging infrastructure, limited resources, and the vast geographical scale of their networks often lead to significant water loss, impacting operational budgets and the long-term sustainability of water supplies. A cohesive, multi-year strategy for water loss reduction was required to help multiple councils not only find leaks but also build the asset intelligence needed for proactive network management.
Following the successful completion of a three-year project, Aqua Analytics was awarded a new two-year extension, which brings our total continuous involvement in regional NSW water loss management to five years.
This strategic initiative is designed to empower over 60 councils with the tools and data necessary to significantly reduce leakage and improve overall network efficiency. The trust and proven delivery over the past three years made Aqua Analytics the logical choice to continue this critical work.
Aqua Analytics has had a considerable impact on the Active Leak Detection Project, a key part of the NSW Government’s $35.3 million Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction Program.
Our efforts, which are estimated to have contributed 65% to the project, have allowed the proactive active leak detection on 23,325 km of water mains, leading to the discovery of over 3,750 leaks. The collaborative work with regional councils has resulted in the repair of leaks that were wasting 7,885 ML of water per year.
This multi-year partnership has proven to be a cornerstone for water loss reduction in regional New South Wales. The award of the new two-year project is a powerful testament to the success of the initial three-year engagement.
By providing expert field teams, rapid reporting, and critical asset intelligence, Aqua Analytics has helped dozens of councils move beyond reactive maintenance.
This continuous five-year involvement, which makes Aqua Analytics the only provider in all phases of the program, positions us as a key partner in building more resilient and sustainable water networks for councils across Australia and New Zealand. As these asset owners continue to prioritise water loss management, this project serves as a model for how comprehensive, data-driven strategies can deliver lasting results and ensure water security for communities across the region.
A regional council, responsible for the water supply of a regional town in New South Wales, faced a common challenge among regional water utilities: a lack of accurate and up-to-date spatial data for their water network assets.
Relying on outdated maps and records hindered their ability to efficiently plan maintenance, respond to emergencies, and manage their assets effectively.
This deficiency in asset intelligence often leads to costly delays, operational inefficiencies, and a greater risk of damaging buried infrastructure. The council required a solution to accurately map their critical assets to enhance their GIS and support better long-term asset management.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to provide a comprehensive GIS consulting project that required field work and geospatial expertise to build an updated model of the water network.
Our solution was designed to provide a highly accurate, digital map of critical water assets, enabling the council to optimise its operations, improve asset management, and enhance its overall network intelligence. The scope of work involved all field services and GIS development works using our internal geospatial specialists.
Aqua Analytics’ GIS enhancement survey delivered foundational data crucial for modern water network management, transforming outdated records into a precise digital map.
By leveraging high-accuracy RTK GPS technology, we provided a regional council with centimeter-level accuracy for over 500 assets, including water mains, hydrants, and valves. This precise GIS data empowers the utility to make data-driven decisions, which is essential for optimising maintenance schedules, reducing operational costs, and improving emergency response.
The project highlights the critical value of a comprehensive GIS for water supply networks and demonstrates how accurate asset mapping can significantly boost the long-term sustainability and operational efficiency of regional water utility assets.
As the client prepares to launch future smart water and water loss management projects, this foundational dataset will be instrumental in generating more accurate insights and driving successful deliverables.
Ensuring the reliable delivery of water to communities is a paramount concern for water utilities worldwide.
In New South Wales, a major water supplier faced a growing challenge in managing a critical trunk water main that had never undergone a detailed internal inspection. This vital asset, responsible for supplying water to thousands of residents across several large towns, lacked any comprehensive assessment of its condition, raising concerns about potential leaks, structural degradation, and the risk of service disruptions.
Traditional pipeline inspection methods often require service shutdowns, causing inconvenience and potential hardship for customers. To avoid these disruptions, the water supplier sought a proactive solution that would provide a detailed assessment of the pipeline’s integrity while maintaining uninterrupted water service.
This client engaged Aqua Analytics to deploy the AquaSnake™ live pipeline inspection technology.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the trunk water main using the AquaSnake™ tethered inspection tool.
This advanced technology allows for detailed visual assessment and leak detection within live pipelines, providing valuable insights into their condition without service interruption.
The methodology of undertaking a live trunk main inspection is as follows:
Aqua Analytics’ AquaSnake™ inspection provided this regional council with critical insights into the condition of their vital trunk water main by undertaking real-time pipeline inspection.
By proactively assessing the pipeline’s integrity, the council can now implement targeted maintenance strategies, extend the asset’s lifespan, and ensure a reliable water supply for their community. This case study highlights the importance of utilising advanced technologies like AquaSnake™ for proactive asset management, optimising infrastructure performance, and safeguarding essential services.
Aqua Analytics is a specialist provider of non-revenue water solutions to municipalities, councils and water authorities across Australia. They have various large-diameter leak detection tools to help water utilities and asset owners undertake pipeline inspection and analysis.
A regional council in New South Wales faced a challenge in managing their extensive network of trunk mains, particularly those located in remote and rural areas.
These critical pipelines, responsible for transporting large volumes of water, had never been inspected for leaks, raising concerns about potential water loss and the risk of unexpected failures. Traditional leak detection methods often involve less effective acoustic solutions or costly inline inspections, making them impractical for remote areas with limited access.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to conduct a comprehensive leak detection survey on 6.3 kilometres of trunk mains using the TM2 Correlator.
This advanced acoustic technology offered a non-invasive and efficient solution for identifying leaks in challenging environments and where pipe materials are non-metallic or they are of larger diameter (typically >DN400).
The methodology for trunk main leak detection included:
Aqua Analytics’ utilisation of the TM2 Correlator provided a cost-effective and efficient solution for inspecting the council’s remote trunk mains.
The non-invasive technology allowed for accurate leak detection without disrupting service or requiring more expensive internal leak detection tools such as AquaSnake or AquaSphere.
This project highlights the value of proactive leak detection in managing critical water infrastructure, ensuring efficient water delivery and minimising potential risks.
Aqua Analytics has a range of trunk main leak detection tools to help water utilities and asset owners manage their large diameter pipeline inventory.
Airports, as bustling hubs of activity, rely on intricate water infrastructure networks to support their multifaceted operations. During routine resurfacing work, a critical water supply line at this major airport developed a leak, jeopardising the smooth functioning of essential services. The leak posed a serious threat of disruption to flight schedules, passenger services, and the airport’s overall operational efficiency. The urgency of the situation, coupled with the necessity to minimise disruption during peak hours, required a swift and specialised night-work solution.
Recognising the criticality of the situation, the airport turned to Aqua Analytics. Understanding the unique challenges of working within a high-stakes environment like an airport, and with the appropriate security clearances, Aqua Analytics swiftly mobilised. Our approach required:
Client Quote: “We entrusted Aqua Analytics with monitoring several water mains during our two-week HDD project. Their daily reports gave the water utility the assurance they needed, confirming our work caused no damage. We will definitely use Aqua Analytics again in the future.”
The successful resolution of this leak at a major Sydney airport underscores the criticality of robust water infrastructure for seamless airport operations. Aqua Analytics’ swift response and expertise in leak detection averted potential disruptions to essential services, demonstrating the importance of proactive water supply management in high-stakes environments.
Airports, as complex and dynamic hubs, require specialised solutions to maintain the integrity of their water pipelines. Aqua Analytics offers a comprehensive suite of services, including real-time leak monitoring, pipeline condition assessment, and data-driven insights, enabling airports to safeguard their critical water infrastructure, minimise downtime, and ensure operational continuity. By partnering with Aqua Analytics, airports can proactively manage their water networks, optimise maintenance, and reduce costs, ultimately enhancing the passenger experience and contributing to overall operational success.
The client was tasked with horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operations in close proximity to critical water mains. The water utility asset owner mandated a proactive monitoring solution to prevent damage and ensure the integrity of their infrastructure throughout the construction process.
The client partnered with Aqua Analytics to implement a personalised asset monitoring system leveraging the power of Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology for reliable data transmission and communication. The solution included:
Client Quote: “We entrusted Aqua Analytics with monitoring several water mains during our two-week HDD project. Their daily reports gave the water utility the assurance they needed, confirming our work caused no damage. We will definitely use Aqua Analytics again in the future.”
Aqua Analytics’ innovative monitoring solution allowed the client to successfully execute their HDD project while upholding the highest standards of environmental responsibility and stakeholder collaboration. This case study exemplifies the power of technology in safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring the smooth completion of complex construction endeavours.
The council urgently needed to address escalating non-revenue water (NRW) levels within its water distribution network. Upon investigation, it became apparent that numerous pressure management valves (PRVs) and associated devices across various sites were neglected and inoperable. This compromised the council’s ability to regulate water pressure effectively, leading to increased leakage, pipe bursts, and unnecessary water waste.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to assess and advise on the current state of the council’s pressure management infrastructure and identify enhancements to achieve an ideal future state. The project adopted a multi-phased approach:
Aqua Analytics’ expertise in pressure management and data analysis was crucial in helping revitalise the council’s water infrastructure. By addressing the neglected PRVs and providing a clear roadmap for optimisation, Aqua Analytics empowered the council to achieve their NRW reduction goals and ensure a more sustainable water supply for their community. The consulting project highlighted the need for the council to take a different approach to their DMA management, ensuring that future investments are managed correctly and that appropriate resources are assigned to provide suitable maintenance and upkeep.
The client faced a significant challenge in managing water loss across their vast and remote network of trunk mains. These large-diameter pipelines (>DN300), often located in challenging terrains, posed difficulties in leak detection. Traditional methods were time-consuming, costly, and ineffective. The client needed a reliable, efficient, and non-invasive solution to pinpoint leaks accurately across a 150km stretch of their network.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to conduct a comprehensive leak detection program across the reticulation and trunk assets. Aqua used the TM2 Trunk Main Correlator to address the trunk’s main assets to address the trunk main assets. This advanced acoustic technology offered a personalised solution to the client’s specific challenges:
Aqua Analytics’ successful deployment of the TM2 Trunk Main Correlator in a remote setting highlights the technology’s effectiveness in addressing the unique challenges of water loss management. The project demonstrates the value of combining cutting-edge technology with experienced personnel to achieve optimal results in reducing non-revenue water and ensuring water infrastructure sustainability. Many of the correlations were over 800 meters in distance, allowing vast network lengths to be inspected cost-effectively by a three-person team. Additionally, all leak reporting was captured spatially with GPS coordinates to assist with easily and accurately identifying defects, which is important in rural environments.
The water utility faced a critical situation with two adjacent water mains (DN600 and DN100) that had each experienced catastrophic failures within 12 months. These failures caused significant service disruptions costly repairs, and posed a potential risk to public safety in a high-profile area of Sydney. The utility urgently needed a proactive solution to monitor the mains’ condition while renewal planning was underway.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to develop and implement a real-time leak and burst monitoring strategy for the two critical water mains. The solution involved:
Aqua Analytics’ implementation of a real-time leak and burst monitoring system proved to be a critical intervention for the water utility. By leveraging advanced technology and expert analysis, the project successfully prevented further catastrophic failures, reduced water loss, and ensured a reliable water supply to a vital part of Sydney. This case study highlights the importance of proactive monitoring and rapid response in safeguarding critical water infrastructure and minimising community disruptions.
The council, responsible for providing water services to a population of over 40,000, was committed to reducing non-revenue water (NRW) losses below their current level of 20%. While recent leak detection efforts had been undertaken, the council sought a comprehensive review of their District Metered Areas (DMAs) and leakage reduction strategy to achieve further water savings.
Aqua Analytics was engaged to conduct a thorough assessment of the council’s water distribution network and provide actionable recommendations for improvement. The project encompassed:
Aqua Analytics’ consultancy services played a pivotal role in helping the regional council optimise its water network management. The comprehensive assessment and strategic recommendations provided a clear path towards significantly reducing water loss, ensuring a more reliable and sustainable water supply for their community.
