Arlington, Texas, adopts advanced solutions for detecting buried lead service lines and water leaks

(UI) — Electro Scan Inc. has been selected by the Arlington Water Utilities in Texas to deploy its non-acoustic SWORDFISH Buried Lead Pipe Detection solution and TRIDENT Pressurized Leak Detection solution across the city.

With a population of 392,000, Arlington ranks as the 50th largest city in the U.S. and the 7th largest in Texas, managing an extensive 1,456 miles of water main. Taking a leap forward in pipe condition assessment technology, the city focuses on accurately assessing water service lines and detecting leaks.

According to Chuck Hansen, chairman and CEO of Electro Scan, both SWORDFISH and TRIDENT represent a new generation of pipe condition assessment tools that do not rely on traditional acoustic sensors or cameras. These solutions can accurately locate and measure up to 100 individual leaks in a single pipe, identify lead pipe materials, and detect soldered joints. Electro Scan's patented technology outperforms traditional leak detection tools, providing precise assessments for repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of pipes.

SWORDFISH Buried Lead Pipe Detection

Arlington Water is at the forefront of assessing its water service lines to meet EPA requirements and eliminate all lead service lines. The utility recognizes that digging on customers' properties poses challenges and may not accurately assess the entire length of a pipe to confirm the presence of lead pipes.

Beyond cost considerations, excavation also risks power, water service, and Wi-Fi disruptions. Based on live demonstrations, SWORDFISH's accuracy in determining specific pipe materials and its ability to avoid digging on customers' properties were pivotal in Arlington's decision to adopt this technology.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Lead and Copper Rule Revision mandate all 50,000 drinking water utilities to inventory and assess utility-side and private-side services by October 16, 2024. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) aligns with the EPA's Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory, which advocates the use of electrical resistance testing to identify pipe materials, including lead and copper.

TRIDENT Pressurized Pipe Leak Detection

Before adopting TRIDENT, the City of Arlington thoroughly benchmarked the technology on live water mains and compared it with other in-pipe leak detection solutions. Major advantages of Electro Scan's TRIDENT Leak Detection solution include:

• No impact from different pressures (pipes assessed from 0 to 150 psi)
• No impact from different pipe materials, especially plastic pipes
• Non-acoustic solution unaffected by noises or traffic
• No false-positive or false-negative readings from customer usage
• No impact from high or low groundwater conditions
• No effect from prior repairs
• Real-time data display for field operators to confirm water leaks using AI Particle Tracing

TRIDENT's ability to enter pressurized water mains through its companion insertion tube, without requiring pipeline pressure shutdowns, minimizes the risk of damaging already impaired pipes. In contrast, other devices often necessitate shutdowns that can weaken pipes, leading to ruptures, cracking, or main breaks.

While water mains were once believed to be useful solely for in-pipe navigation and detection of obvious defects, TRIDENT allows field operators to pre-locate leaks using Electro Scan's high-resolution closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at suspected defect locations. AI Particle Tracing confirms leak locations at specific clock positions, enabling precise leak detection without prolonged disruptions.

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