Detecting and locating leaks in Underground Water Mains Using Thermography

Water systems all over the world experience water losses. Leakage is the most common reason of water loss. Problems associated with water main leaks are a growing concern around the globe. These problems include water and energy loss, in addition to considerable properties damage. In current practice, not all water leaks can be detected due to intensive time and expensive cost associated with the leak detection process; consequently, some leaks are still occurring and lead to problems mentioned above. Management of water leaks can be improved if leaks can be detected effectively then rectified efficiently. This paper presents a study conducted for detection of water leaks, and identification of their respective locations in underground pipelines using Thermography IR camera. The paper describes the field work and the experimental protocol, which were carried out over two years in three different locations in greater Montréal (Canada) area in order to investigate factors that affect the applicability and limitations of the IR technology used in this study.