Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene July-August 2015 Vol. 10 No.4 | Page 18

Water Supply

A Closer Look at Water Main Break Prediction
By Peter Chawaga

breaks will happen, many utilities are working to identify
their critical locations where vulnerable pipe may break,”
he said. “By giving these pipe segments high priority
to replacement, they aim to reduce their overall risk and
improve the performance of their pipeline infrastructures.”
The future of this identification is tied with statistics. Grigg
identifies the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
(WSSC) as particularly adept at mining their system’s data
and putting it to use to fight main breaks.
Armed With Data

Image credit: “Adams St Water Main SWB Geiser 2,”
Infrogmation of New Orleans © 2013

T

o residents, municipalities, and water utility
professionals, no calamity is quite like a water main
break. Whether a break remains unseen, covertly expending
the precious resource and