Transcript Document

Water Services Training
Group
15th Annual Conference
Water Services in Ireland –
Organisational modernisation
and new challenges
13th October 2011
Annual Conference October 2011
Water Conservation
&
Mains Rehabilitation
Ray Mannix
Senior Engineer
Waterford City Council
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Presentation Summary
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Examine the topic of Water Conservation and
how this was introduced to Waterford City and
the progress that has been made.
Show how Leakage Control has developed in
Waterford City and the improvements made.
Explore the issue of Backyard Services and the
difficulties encountered in Waterford City.
Present how Waterford City Council have moved
to an automatic meter reading system for nondomestic meters and how this has impacted on
water conservation.
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Objectives of Water Conservation
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Improve knowledge of the mains Network.
To reduce the level of unaccounted for water
(UFW) on the public network
To improve Service Delivery (improved pressure
and water quality)
Improve public awareness
Defer Capital Investment in new schemes
through reduced consumption and improved
supply
How is all this implemented?
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NATIONAL WATER CONSERVATION
PROGRAMME (3 Stage Approach)
STAGE 1
Network
Management
Systems
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
Leakage
Control
Mains
Rehabilitation
Set Up Water
Conservation
Team
Phased Mains
Rehabilitation
Establish DMA’s
SCADA
Telemetry
GIS Mapping
Network
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In 1996 Waterford City was one of the locations
chosen to pilot a water conservation programme.
The first demonstration in Ireland of trenchless
technology took place in the City on 800m of
main.
In 1997, 24 District Meter Zones/Areas (DMA)
were set up in Waterford City.
In 1998 EMR (Radio & Telemetry) set up a new
SCADA telemetry system in the City.
In 1999 following protracted negotiations the
Water Conservation Team was established.
Between 1996 and 1999 the water Network was
digitally mapped using mapnet which later
DMA’s in Waterford City
became mapinfo.
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The new information systems and metering
allowed data to be recorded for the first time.
The Average Daily Consumption was starting to
rise to levels that exceeded storage capacity
A network performance appraisal was carried out
in 1997 as part of the Strategic Operational and
Investment Plan.
The Network was found to be in a very poor
condition in many parts of the City
An active leakage control regime was introduced
and statistics on leakage could be established.
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How do you achieve effective Leakage
Control?
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The Six keys to effective Leakage Control
1.
Passive Leakage Control
2.
Active Leakage Control
3.
Swift, Quality Repairs
4.
Effective Infrastructure Management
5.
Efficient Pressure Management
6.
Complete Meter Management
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Passive Leakage Control
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Passive Leakage is Reactive – bursts / reported
leaks – visible leaks including leaks noted when
meters are installed.
Manage them appropriately – prioritise quickly.
Record leak details from initial customer contact
Get the repairs completed quickly
Record time and details of the repair
Note the repair impact on District Meter Area in
particular night time flow
Remember these are the leaks people see –
important for public relations
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Active Leakage Control
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Identify non visible leakage through DMA
monitoring.
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Analysis of water networks to target losses
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Accounting for un-monitored water
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Identifying consumption patterns
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Identifying legitimate consumption
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Understanding and recording flows
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Pinpoint leaks – step test
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Infrastructure & Pressure Management
Requires a planned structured approach to
implement effectively.
1. Bring pipelines up to date through mains
rehabilitation
2. Modernise the network flow model to account for
changes
3. Introduce appropriate pressure reducing valves
to manage network pressures efficiently
4. Combine all the meters on the Network to a
single integrated system allowing any flow
variations to be identified instantaneously.
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FUNDAMENTAL REASONS FOR
MAINS REHABILITATION
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Performance Deficiencies in Network
• Water Quality
• Pressure and Flow
• Supply Interruptions
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Increased Operation & Maintenance Costs
• Excessive Burst Frequency
• Additional Mains Flushing Required
• Extra power costs to overcome hydraulic resistance of
encrustation
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Higher Quality Standards
• More demanding standards (Lower lead limit etc.)
• Customer satisfaction (Demands rise as cost rises)
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The approach to Mains Rehabilitation in Waterford
was undertaken on a DMA by DMA basis.
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Prioritisation based on the following
physical and performance characteristics:
• Mains Properties – percentage of old unlined cast iron
mains
• Connections – Lead and Shared Backyard Services
• Structural and Leakage Performance
• Water Quality – length of cast iron mains, dirty water
complaints, sample data.
• Hydraulic Performance – areas less than 15m pressure
at peak demand
• Other Factors – critical customers, sensitive mains,
development etc.
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Mains Rehabilitation in Waterford City
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Phase 1 Mains Rehabilitation started in Waterford
City in 1999.
• Between 1996 and 1999 data was recorded in order to
establish what mains needed to be prioritised.
• Approximately 20% of the network had been laid
between 1900 and 1930.
• Unaccounted for Water (UFW) was estimated to be more
than 60%
• 6.2km of cast iron mains was replaced at a cost of £1.65
million.
• On completion of Phase 1 Rehab UFW had fallen below
60%.
• Ongoing leakage control continued to reduce UFW, but
an aging Network made it difficult to make real progress.
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Phase 2 Mains Rehabilitation commenced in
2008.
• Further assessments of the City Network were carried
out in 2004 and 2006.
• These assessments helped develop the overall strategic
investment plan for Water Services in Waterford City.
• WSIP 2007 – 2009 approved a budget of €6.9 million for
Phase 2 Rehab.
• A total of 23.6km of mains was replaced in Phase 2
when the original Contract was extended
• Trenchless technology was utilised as much as possible
to reduce traffic disruption and public inconvenience.
• 3,349 new connections were provided.
Small •bore
directional
The outturn cost of Phase 2 was €8.9 million
drilling under houses has
• Water
pressure and
been very
successful
in quality improved immediately but
UFW did not reduce as much as was anticipated.
Waterford City.
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Typical Cross Section of Cast Iron Pipe Removed
The encrustation of cast iron mains caused reduced
pressure, water quality issues and high burst frequency.
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Example of a Valve Replaced in
Mount Sion Avenue
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Slide with photo or graph
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Phase 2 Rehabilitation Areas
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Lessons Learned
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Increased Pressure on Backyard Services caused more
leaks. UFW not reduced as much as expected as a result.
Site Investigations were not detailed enough.
CESMM3 did not have standardised item descriptions for
trenchless techniques.
Public awareness prior to construction was poor and
required a liaison process during the Contract.
Advantages
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Dramatic Improvement in Water Quality
UFW Reduced
Removal of Lead Mains and Services
Reduction in number and frequency of leaks and bursts on
public mains.
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Phase 3 Mains Rehabilitation
• Remainder of cast iron mains to be replaced.
• A budget approval of €6.1 million has been received
under WSIP 2010 – 2012.
• Design Work has commenced on 24km of main and
construction work will commence in 2012.
• Approval has been given in circular L3/11 to carry out
works to replace service connections in private property.
• Backyard/Shared Service must be replaced as part of
this process in order to achieve the best results.
• Need to incentivise property owners to separate from
the shared service to an individual connection. The
disruption and inconvenience not to mention the cost
will only discourage owners from connecting to the new
control box.
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Backyard/Shared Services
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Backyard services (BYS) generally run along the rear of properties
that are in both private & joint (shared) ownership.
The property owners are jointly responsible for the service pipe.
There are an approx. 612 BYS connections serving almost 3,000
properties in the City.
It is estimated that almost 40% of all UFW on the network occurs
on private side leaks on BYS.
High UFW levels are due to age of pipes and the pipe material
which are predominately lead services.
Majority of leaks occur in service pipes and as these are smaller
they tend to run unnoticed for a much longer period before
discovery than those of mains.
The Mains Rehab Project Phase 2 Design Review Report outlines
Three phases to reduce UFW
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Mains Rehabilitation and network rationalisation
Replacement of Common & Backyard Services
Active Leakage Control
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Associated Problems with Backyard Services
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Poor water quality – high lead concentrations
Poor pressure
Restricted access to private property
Joint ownership and responsibility
Excessive Leakage
Structural damage to properties
Difficulty locating and repairing leaks
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Extensions built over services connections to rear of
property
In Morrisson’s Road DMA 60% of properties have
extensions
• Inadequate depths of cover to services leading to
possible freezing of pipes in cold weather
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Pilot Grant Scheme in 2006 to remove Backyard Services
Johnstown DMA chosen during Phase 2 Rehab where 7 properties on
3 backyard services were replaced in January 2006.
Property owner given a grant of €800 for the installation of a new
individual service.
Grant covers a fixed and agreed cost of €600 to a private competent
plumber to carry out the installation to the stopcock in the kitchen at
rear of house and disconnect the shared service.
Customer used the remaining €200 to cover internal disturbance.
WCC provided new connection pipe from the main to a new control
box at front of property.
Reduction of 132m3/day consumption or 18.9m3/property/day.
Further 70 properties on 21 BYS completed in 2006
Average savings of 19.3m3/property/day
UFW went from 74% down to 60%
UFW in this DMA is currently 37%.
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Benefits to removal of Backyard Services
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Reduction in UFW
Removal of old lead services which may result in
failure to meet the EC Regulation Standards on
lead content currently at 25 µg/l. The new
standard of 10 µg/l comes into effect on the 24th
December 2013.
Improved pressures and flows
Independent/Individual connection
• household unaffected by a leak in an adjacent property.
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Houses cannot be metered without individual
connections & control boxes to front of property
Improved water quality
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Water Services Act 2007
S.I. 527 2008 Water Conservation Regulations established the
use of new Waste Notices
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Five separate notices provide a platform for each water
authority to require a customer to repair a leak, reduce
consumption or risk a disconnection.
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Waterford City Council started to issue Form A waste
notices in 2010.
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Experience has thought WCC that initial approach is to
encourage leak repairs rather than issuing formal notice.
• First notices issued generated numerous queries.
• Public unaware of regulations and consequences
• Elderly fear of a possible supply cut-off or a fine
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To date 80 Form A notices have been issued.
BYS throw up problems when issuing Form A notices
• All households on a shared supply must be served with the notice.
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Survey of BYS in 2011
Two DMA’s surveyed to examine the difficulties with
the removal of all the BYS
Morrisson’s Road and Lower Yellow Road DMA’s are the oldest
part of the City and have a high percentage of BYS.
480 properties in Morrisson’s Road and 500 properties in
Lower Yellow Road served by BYS. Approx. 10% have already
connected to the new control box.
Approximately 60% of properties have extensions built on
top of the BYS (Difficult to replace)
Poor plumbing practices
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Pipes embedded in walls and solid floors.
Stop valves are buried, concealed or simply lost.
Shallow supply pipes vulnerable to freezing in cold weather
Many supply pipes are not water tight
The various complications make it difficult to apply a single
method to replace these BYS.
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What Should We Do?
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Circular L3/11 provides for funding of certain works that
encroach onto private property.
Although this will cover some associated costs, there is no
funding for internal plumbing.
Majority of BYS located in parts of City where people cannot
afford to pay for the internal plumbing works required.
Form A waste notices are not effective for BYS as it may not
be possible to pinpoint a leak and responsibility for the
repair is in theory shared between all the properties.
Domestic metering will be incomplete unless every property
has its own control box.
TWO CHOICES (or a combination of both)
• Force households to move to the new control box – Not easy - High
fixed charge
• Provide a grant to encourage property owners to connect to the new
control box.
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Leakage Control in Waterford City in 2011
Much has changed since 1996:
 Improved Technology – GSM Loggers
 Modern Electronic leak detection equipment –
Correlating Loggers
 Data capture has been enhanced and provides
swift analysis
 PRV’s Day/Night Controller allowing pressure
reduction at night to lower night flows
 Integration of DMA meters and Non-domestic
meters allowing accurate calculation of UFW in
zones.
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Non Domestic Water
Background: Prior to 2003
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Many commercial water supplies were not metered.
Unmetered customers generally paid a fixed charge for
their water supply, a system which provided no incentive
for customers to conserve water or repair leaks.
Private-side leaks continued undetected, placing
unnecessary water demand on the network.
Meters could be by-passed and/or tampered with without
detection.
Many water supplies served multiple addresses, making
individual metering difficult and often impossible without
undertaking major plumbing alterations.
Microsoft Access Database was used for meter and account
data.
575 meters installed on non domestic services.
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2003 - 2005:
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The Metering of all non domestic services started in
2003.
1,530 meters were installed by December 2006.
All meter readings were manual – a time-consuming,
costly and inefficient method of data collection which
was prone to human error.
Microsoft Access Database was used for billing and
storing meter readings. This was labour intensive as
manual inputting of reads was still required.
Due to lags in readings being submitted, half yearly
bills were not being issued efficiently and were
typically a few months late.
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2006 – 2007
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In 2006 water billing was moved to the Agresso
Financial Program. 1,295 accounts were entered into
the Agresso meter master database.
This provided an easier billing system but readings
were still manual.
It took 3 Water Inspectors 4 weeks to do a complete
set of non domestic meter readings.
The issuing of bills was still slow due to the time taken
to take readings, transfer to Agresso and issue bills.
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Automatic Reading System
2008
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Decision made to move to automatic meter reading.
• Reduce time to take readings.
• Reliability of readings assured and recorded.
• Bills produced much faster.
2009
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New Temetra Database is set up.
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1,111 cyble installations are completed and uploaded to
Temetra and ready for automatic reading.
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All meters are now read by a Technician and a full set of
non domestic meter readings can be completed in 8
working days.
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Issue Monthly Bills to the top 25 consumers. These make
up more than 75% of the annual non-domestic
consumption in Waterford City. All other bills are issued
quarterly - Much improved cash flow.
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2010 – 2011
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In 2010 the decision was made to move to a new billing
system using Temetra.
First Temetra generated bills are currently being sent out
for September 2011 Monthly accounts.
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Efficiencies and Benefits from AMR
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Conservation: quicker leak detection due to any readings
deviating from expected ranges being highlighted in Temetra and
on the handheld reader.
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Consumption Data: better records of volumes used on
individual services and analysis of expected consumptions for
different types of activities.
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Issue Tracker System: Customer queries or internal issues
can be raised specific to a meter and will be tracked through to
resolution.
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Data management: No delay in application of changes to
customer, occupancy and meter replacements information.
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Schools Water Consumption
Impact of Moving to Metered Charges
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In 2010 Primary Schools received their first water supply
bills based on actual consumptions
Prior to this fixed bills applied based on the number of
pupils. Actual consumptions were often higher than the
estimated calculation of 3.5m3 per pupil per year.
Conservation and repairs were encouraged and in the
summer of 2009 Dept of Education grants were provided to
schools for water conservation works.
It can be seen from the following graph covering the period
Jan 2009 to April 2010 the effect these works had on
schools in the City.
Schools like St. Martins, St. Declans and Mount Sion NS
have all had significant reductions in consumption.
The two schools that remain the highest users are the
biggest in the city with attendances far exceeding the rest.
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Hotels and GSM Logging Trials
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In March 2011 WCC proposed a trial of GSM Loggers for the
water meters of the 10 main hotels in the City.
These loggers were fitted free of charge by WCC.
The loggers give continuous data on water usage and allow
detailed analysis of daily consumptions, night flows, periods
of high usage etc.
The Hotel Managers can access this info through the web
based Meter.ie portal which allows them to approach water
conservation in a proactive way.
WCC are continuing to liaise with Hotels who are showing
high night flows and possible leakage in efforts to reduce
water wastage.
The success of this scheme will see the Large Consumers
offered this product at a reasonable cost.
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Despite all these improvements!
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Highest leakage zones are two zones where
mains rehab has already been completed
These two zones have the most Backyard
Services in the City – 980 out of 1860 (52%)
UFW remains relatively high overall at 46%
Unless backyard services are tackled, which I
believe will require some form of incentive or
grant scheme, UFW will remain relatively high
and full Domestic Metering will not be achievable!
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Thank You
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