On 24th June, Tom Crowder presented a webinar on behalf of the IWA Water Loss Specialist Group about Practical Examples of DMA Data Issues, highlighting why high-quality data is the foundation of successful leakage management.
When it comes to finding leaks, the process starts long before field teams enter the network. It begins with having confidence in the data.
During the webinar, Tom explained that before asking "Where is the leak?", water utilities should first ask "Can we trust the data?" Without accurate and reliable data, leakage estimates can be misleading, leading to unnecessary investigations and inefficient use of resources.
District Metered Areas (DMAs) are central to monitoring water distribution networks, but they are only effective if the data behind them is accurate. Ensuring a DMA is both available, with valid flow data from all inlet and outlet meters. And operable, where daily and night flow leakage calculations align is essential for making informed operational decisions.
Common data quality issues include faulty meters, incorrect DMA boundaries, customer allocation errors, time synchronisation problems and open boundary valves. Identifying and resolving these issues through desktop analysis can often prevent unnecessary field investigations and improve the accuracy of leakage detection.
As utilities continue to embrace smart networks and advanced analytics, data quality has never been more important. By prioritising DMA availability and operability, organisations can improve leakage estimates, target investigations more effectively and make better-informed decisions.
Tom's webinar provides practical examples of these challenges and demonstrates why trusted data is the key to effective leakage management.
Watch the webinar to discover how improving data quality can help and become more confident leakage management decisions.