The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) in all probability will replace costly leak detection tests — Smart Ball and Sahara — with helium gas technology to check its age-old drinking water distribution network in the city.
The water utility is in touch with Degremont India, a subsidiary of French multinational firm Suez Environment, which is involved in drinking water improvement projects in Mumbai, to conduct leak detection tests using helium gas technology.
The technology involves injecting the inert, non-toxic gas into the live pipeline.
The dissolved helium finds its way to the ground surface in case there is a leak in the line.
The path of the line will be traced on the ground with special sensors to measure concentration of helium. “There are lots of advantages in helium gas technology leak detection tests. The line need not be shut, and it can be used even in small distribution lines made of any material. The cost for testing a metre of line is worked out to be around Rs.80,” said an official with the Non-Revenue Water wing of the KWA.
A team from the KWA would soon visit Mumbai to get a first-hand account of leak detection tests conducted by the company there, said the official.
Last year, the utility had awarded leak detection project to Delhi-based Four ITS Private Ltd., which executes the work through the Canada-based company, Pure Technologies, and Manila-based Maynilad Water Services Inc., using advanced technologies — Smart Ball and Sahara.
Smart Ball is a free-swimming acoustic leak detector capable of detecting very small leaks.
The cost of one ball is around Rs.6.5 lakh. For scanning one metre using Sahara, the utility had to incur Rs.1,000.
For the first stage of leak detection, carried on a 36-km stretch, the firm was given around Rs.50 lakh.
AG’s objections
It might be recalled that the office of the Accountant General (AG) had raised certain objections to the allotment of the work to the firm. The water utility was asked to clarify on the criterion and mode of selection of the firm. The AG’s office said the work was awarded by waiving the tender procedures due to which the competitiveness of the firm could not be ascertained.
