Syabas uses new technology to detect leaks

KUALA LUMPUR: Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) expects to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from 33.8% to 30.75% within two years via the Smartball system.

Syabas Projects and NRW executive director Yusof Badawi said using the new technology, 2,400km of pipes would be examined using the system over a two-year period.

“Hopefully, this will help save up to 66 million litres of treated water per day, which is 1.5 times the capacity of the Wangsa Maju water treatment plant.

“The system has been tested by Syabas since February 2013 and was proven to be efficient in detecting pipe leakages.

“Until November, 500km of pipes have been inspected using the system and 250 big and small leakages discovered, which saved 13.9 million litres of treated water a day,” he told a news conference at the Syabas headquarters here yesterday.

Yusof said the system, developed by a Canadian company, used a 300mm ball which contained a battery, electronic component and instrument to check for leaks.

“The ball is placed into the pipe and travels with the flow of water, providing detailed information on the location of any leakage.

“Each time it passes a leak in the pipes, the system will emit a sound. The system is also capable of detecting leakage as little as 0.1 litre per minute,” he said.

He added that the system was also suitable for use in 6,000km of large pipes in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. — Bernama