History of leak detection
The story behind the job
Leak detection is a relatively new profession that arose in interaction with industrialization and urbanization in the 19th century. As people gathered in rapidly growing cities, the need for the supply of clean drinking water to consumers increased.
Therefore, they resorted to a solution invented by the Romans before our era began: the aqueduct. Large earthed water pipes that could ensure a stable inflow of the important raw material.
Water supply and the need for effective leak detection
In step with urbanization, the need for clean drinking water increased and the water supply network was expanded. But where there are smart solutions to important problems, there is usually also maintenance work.
For water pipes do not last forever. There are holes in them from time to time, and even if you calculate the service life of the cable correctly, and make sure to replace it before the expiration date, there may be unforeseen factors that cause leaks to occur.
At water mains close to the earth's surface, it is easy to see. Groundwater holes, ie collapse of foundation and surface, due to erosion, can occur.
In some cases you will be able to see the water floating on the surface such as roads, sidewalks or natural areas, however, it is far from always certain that the leaks are visible.
If the leak is deep, the water may not reach the surface. The deeper leaks can therefore remain untouched and significant amounts of water can be lost.
When they started pumping groundwater up through large waterworks and keeping accounts of the water volumes, it was discovered that there was a large spill in several parts of the water supply network.
That is, the amount of water pumped out of the waterworks was greater than the amount of water that reached the consumers. Therefore, methods began to be developed to easily and quickly locate any leaks.
The different methods for locating the leaks are collectively called 'leak tracking', and that is what we deal with at Leif Koch A/S.
Read more about waterworks and the history of water distribution
