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Noise registers can help find the location of water main failures
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
Currently, the water distribution system loses about 30% of clean water due to minor breakdowns that are fairly easy to fix, but since pipes often leak underground, it is difficult to determine the exact location of the accident. At the research center of Concordia University (Canada), specialists decided to fix the situation and developed a new method that will help quickly and effectively solve the problem of underground leaks of clean water - the new device allows you to detect water leaks underground with an accuracy of up to 99.5%.
Most people do not think about the path water takes before opening the tap and are accustomed to considering clean drinking water an endless natural resource. But the problem of water leakage is becoming more acute, and every year the situation only gets worse. Experts noted that if measures are not taken now, then in 10 years 1/3 of the world's population will be left without clean water.
Canadian researchers have decided to improve current systems for detecting leaks, which are now responsible for up to 30% of clean water loss (old water systems lost up to 50%).
To stop a leak and save clean water, you need to know the exact location of the leak. The excavator work and subsequent restoration of the surface above the leak are quite expensive, and if the accident location is mistakenly identified, the cost of repairs will be 2 times higher.
Researchers from Concordia have proposed using a noise register over the entire water supply network to record noise and pinpoint potential leaks with high accuracy. Special units are attached to inspection hatches, fire hydrants or valves using magnets, the device is turned on at a certain time and records readings for 2 hours. The researchers noted that the optimal time for the device to operate is at night, when background noise is minimal.
Small blocks (12x5cm) record noises, and if it is consistent, there may be a leak at that location. Technicians using these devices will be able to calculate the location of the accident with high accuracy using predictive mathematical modeling.
A new method for detecting water supply failures could reduce the time and cost of finding the location of a leak, according to Tarek Zaid, a co-author of the new research project.
The team of scientists has already tested their invention in the state of Qatar (a country in the Middle East), where the level of precipitation is minimal and the rate of evaporation is maximal. According to some data, the water distribution system in this country loses up to 35% of clean water due to various breakdowns on the line.
Canadian specialists placed noise registers on the main water supply network of one of the Qatari universities and processed the obtained data using mathematical modeling, as a result of which it was possible to determine emergency locations with an accuracy of up to 99.5%. The researchers also plan to test the registers in other places and achieve 100% accuracy of the devices.
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