Monash led research in water pipes estimated to have $1 billion impact

Burst water pipes (courtesy of South East Water)

Monash-led research in how water pipes fail is estimated to have an economic impact of $1 billion.

The impact derives from reducing the cost of maintenance of pipes and fewer pipe breakages, leading to consistent water supply for Australian companies and consumers and money diverted from maintenance to new and improved infrastructure investment for the benefit of communities.

Urban water distribution systems around the world are becoming older and hence more prone to failure. Those parts of the system comprising large diameter pipes are especially critical since there are high risks and consequences of failure. When a critical pipe fails it is often spectacular and disruptive and hazardous for the general public, but it also comes with very high capital, social, and environmental costs. Failure of critical water pipes is a global problem and represents a challenge for water authorities to the cost effective management of water pipe assets.

From 2011 to 2016 international water research organisations, Australian water utilities and three Australian universities came together to undertake fundamental research in how critical water pipes fail and the conditions leading to failure. Monash was the lead research partner in the collaborative project, Advanced Condition Assessment and Pipe Failure Prediction.

The research team at Monash University, led by Professor Jayantha Kodikara, theme coordinator for Monash Infrastructure’s structures theme, found that the primary mechanism for failure of cast iron pipes is through a fracture within a large corrosion patch within the pipe barrel. As the fracture grows through corrosion and moving pressures, a disastrous burst could occur. This process is defined as the leak-before-break failure.

The leak-before-break paradigm gives water utilities new ways of pipe condition monitoring and paves the way for failure prevention through enhanced leak detection. Previously, leak detection was used to assess unaccounted water to prevent water wastage. With the new knowledge of what to look for such as patches of corrosion, the condition assessment techniques are being developed with increasing levels of confidence, and innovative water industry-led capital asset specifications have been developed which are evidence-based and incorporate validation. An innovative distributed fibre optic concept is paving the way for combined leak detection and pipe condition assessment in the buried environment.

The project team used the significant advances in knowledge to develop tools and process improvements which are now being applied for improved management of water supply pipes.

The project has placed Australia at the cutting-edge of smart water-asset management, delivering substantial new knowledge to the water industry through workshops, fact sheets, and decision support tools along with 17 technical advisory workshops in Australia and five in the UK and USA.

It is estimated that the economic impact from this project is at least $1 billion over three to four years. One water utility in the project has decreased its expenditure on the renewal of critical water mains by $10 million per annum. With over $500 billion worth of critical pipe assets in Australia, the UK and US, improved targeting on when, what and where pipes are renewed would provide billions of dollars’ worth of capital deferrals that can be programmed for other infrastructure needs. Further, improved and timely targeting of pipe renewals will benefit customers and reduce other costs associated with maintenance.

The partners in this research project included Sydney Water Corporation, UK Water Industry Research Ltd., Water Research Foundation of the USA, Water Corporation (WA), City West Water, Melbourne Water, South Australia Water Corporation, South East Water Ltd, Hunter Water Corporation, Queensland Urban Utilities, and Yarra Valley Water. Water Environment Research Foundation of the USA is an affiliate partner. Monash University leads the research, supported by University of Technology Sydney and the University of Newcastle.

The partners funded the $13 million project.