Advances in data logging technology for the past 10 years have significantly improved water companies’ awareness of pressure transients on their network. However, as an industry we are still understanding their causes, how best to monitor for them, and the impact they can have on asset life.
Whilst significant transients can cause immediate bursts on water networks, we also need to be conscious of the impact that smaller, more frequent transients have to damage our assets.
Starting with probable causes of transients, including water company assets like pumps and PRVs, as well as customers likely to be pumping from the network or using large tanks as part of a process, allows us to create an overall picture of the risk on the network.
Our data science led analysis of transient data allows us to identify where the same transients are occurring on water networks across a wider time range, for example where the same customer behaviour occurs on a regular schedule or a PRV consistently fails to perform at low flow. By categorising transients in this manner, their causes can be identified, understood, and prioritised for resolution. Combining this with historic bursts and customer complaint data allows us to understand which transients hurt our clients the most and should be investigated.
By combining both the causes and effects into our analysis, we can identify areas of a client’s water network most likely to be affected by transients and direct field teams to investigate areas where we have a high confidence of finding issues. We are working with our clients to understand the impact that transients have on their networks and the most cost-effective approach for the long-term monitoring of transients, allowing them to achieve and maintain calm networks without breaking the bank.
Pressure Transients is only one string to our bow. We’re forever assisting companies in combatting their day-to-day data challenges. Find out why they love working with SME Water.
If that’s a lot to digest, we’ve put it into simple terms exactly what advantages you will gain from our Pressure Transients service.
