Nama Water Leakage Detection Project – Muscat, Oman

Since October 2023, we have dedicated a full-time, two-person team of rotating personnel to perform DMA leakage detection for Nama Water in Oman. The primary goal was to achieve significant leakage reductions in historically problematic DMAs in Muscat and surrounding regions. Additionally, we aimed to provide network efficiency teams with critical insights into the shortcomings we identified.

This project has been led by our highly skilled team of leakage technicians and engineers, including one of our female leak technicians, which was a pioneering first for Oman. Our combined expertise was crucial in addressing the unique challenges posed by Muscat's water distribution system.

The network's complexity required innovative approaches and meticulous planning. To tackle this, we organised and implemented a pilot phase to establish effective tools and techniques for leakage detection within Oman. This phase included the following processes:

• Development and Demonstration of Hydrophone and Acoustic Correlations: Utilising customer supplies, we introduced advanced hydrophone and acoustic correlation techniques to accurately identify leaks.
• DMA / Boundary Valve Validation: Checking DMA polygons, boundary valve status, and locations is essential for calculating leakage, conducting step tests, and measuring results.
• Planning and Conducting Step Tests: These tests pinpointed leakage areas by systematically isolating sections of the network. However, outdated GIS, breached DMAs, and missing flow data limited success.
• Satellite Leak Detection POI Follow-Ups: Following up on Points of Interest (POIs) identified through satellite leak detection to confirm and address leaks in some city areas.
• Sounding: Tap bashing has been a core element, revealing some of the most significant leaks the client has ever had to repair.
• Repair Verifications: Ensuring that identified leaks were properly repaired and verifying the effectiveness of these repairs.

Managing logistics and delivery from the UK has been a significant task. We coordinated staffing and maintained continual liaison with Nama Water, to ensure seamless project execution. Additionally, we supported our field teams with Netbase analysis, resolved day-to-day issues, and facilitated troubleshooting, ensuring constant communication with client management.

Our efforts have already yielded valuable insights into the network's inefficiencies, identifying over 185 leaks, dozens of illegal connections, faulty meters, and unknown breaches. The techniques and tools developed have proven effective, providing a solid foundation for ongoing and future leakage detection initiatives. This has resulted in a cumulative drop of approximately 7mld.

Moving forward, we aim to expand our efforts, integrating more sophisticated technologies and refining our methodologies. By continuing to support Nama Water and working closely with local teams, we plan to achieve substantial improvements in water conservation and supply reliability in Muscat and beyond.