Meet Australia’s Water Leak Detecting Dogs
Australia’s water utilities are deploying high-tech leak detection equipment to save water and energy: Sniffer dogs!
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology estimates that nation-wide average non-revenue water losses are around 10%. While this figure is low compared to other locations around the world if the figure was reduced to 6% it would result in Australia making energy savings of 10%.
To turn these savings into reality, water utilities in Australia are deploying hi-tech leak detection equipment: Sniffer dogs!
With chlorine levels in tap water reaching up to 4 parts per million, a sniffer dog has no problem sorting leaks out from puddles of water as their noses are calculated as being able to detect one particle of an odor or scent in a billion.
Meet Kep of Western Australia
Western Australia’s Water Corporation has deployed Kep, Australia’s first ever leak detection dog. Kep helps the utility detect leaks in underground water mains with Kep and her handler traveling around the state covering specific sectors of pipes each day, as part of a planned work program. Once Kep has detected a leak, the area is recorded and a crew sent out to carry out repairs. Kep is highly obedient and can listen to her handler’s commands and keep safe at all times, in fact, Kep is trained to keep at least 5 meters away from snakes, and sense them coming much sooner than a human.
Say hello to Halo and Danny of Queensland
Queensland Urban Utilities has recruited two, four-legged recruits to sniff out underground leaks. With more than 9,000 kilometers of water pipes in the network, some of which are located in dense bushland, ‘Halo’ and ‘Danny’ are trained to sniff out the chlorine in potable water. They can detect a leak up to 1 meter underground and can even differentiate between water leaking from a pipe underground and all other types of water on the surface. Once potential leaks are detected, field crews are sent out to investigate and repair it.
The take-out
Sometimes, the best technology is a furry friend!
*Blue-Green Infrastructure LinkedIn group:https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10412555/
- *Circular Water Economy LinkedIn group:https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10416662/
