Cost of Sensors for Detecting Water Leakages in Water Supply Pipelines

Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what is the cost of the 320 sensors installed in Singapore's potable water supply pipelines to detect water leakages from the pipelines.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) collaborated with the Centre for Environmental Sensing and Modelling under the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) to develop the sensor network system for real-time monitoring of our water supply distribution network. The system enables PUB to monitor relevant hydraulic and water quality parameters, through real-time alerts on irregular data patterns in water pressure, flow and water quality which may potentially affect supply to customers. The data analytics and simulation tools developed as part of the system are used to help plan operations and minimise water supply disruption. PUB will continue to improve the reliability and coverage of the sensor network system.

Leak detection is one function of the system. Nevertheless, the sensor network system is just one component of PUB's leak management programme. PUB conducts physical checks of its pipelines at least once a year and also deploys portable acoustic leak noise data loggers to aid leak detection. Together with our on-going pipeline replacement programme, this results in Singapore experiencing only about six leaks per 100 km of pipes per year, which is among the lowest incidence in the world.

The cost of developing the entire sensor network system, including the 320 sensor stations and the data analytics software, is around $9 million. PUB envisages that the cost of further expanding the sensor network to more parts of Singapore will be lowered as sensing technology improves, and as the initial investment in software development is spread over a larger base of sensors.

PUB will continue to work closely with the industry to develop and improve sensing capabilities and leak detection technologies. Concurrently, PUB is actively looking at new ideas and innovations that will help minimise water losses due to leaks and ensure 24/7 supply of good water to customers.

Just a short supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. Does one of the possible solutions of the leak management and technological programme include going into possible reduction of evaporation from reservoirs? Is that one of the measures being undertaken?

This water sensor network system, as I have said, fulfils a number of functions. Leak detection is just one of the functions of the sensor network system. The sensor network system helps PUB in terms of monitoring the performance of its water distribution network by monitoring network pressure, water quality and water flow, and so on. In fact, it is necessary and it is important for the data obtained from this to be in real-time because it helps PUB in terms of planning for its operation as well as identifying and responding to anomalies and to minimise water supply disruption. For instance, when there is a water leak incident and the PUB field crew is sent to respond to the incident, they can use the sensor data as well as the software simulation tools to plan for their operations to identify potential risks, and then to be able to take appropriate actions in order to isolate and carry out repair works whilst monitoring this operation as well as the water quality as they are undertaking the repairs. This, again, helps to minimise the water disruption incidence.

With regard to the other areas where PUB continues to look at how it can minimise water losses, due to leaks as well as other causes, one of the areas would be evaporation loss, say, from the reservoirs. My understanding is that PUB has looked into this and some of the products available − for instance, to apply a product to the water surface of the reservoirs to reduce water loss. But in undertaking an evaluation on the cost effectiveness, my understanding is that it is very expensive. It requires multiple applications because the material will degrade under sunlight. So, it has not been taken up, but they will continue to look at different areas in order to be able to minimise water losses as well as to supply good quality water 24/7 to its customers.

I just have one supplementary question to the Senior Minister of State. How much improvement has been made before and after the implementation of the new technology for the leak detection? Can she share this information?

As I have said, for this sensor network system, leak detection is only one of its functions. A main function of this sensor network system is to monitor the performance of the water distribution network in real-time and to help PUB plan its operations. PUB has found that the sensor network system has been able to enhance its operations and substantially reduced incidents like valve operations that can lead to a disruption in water supply. Therefore, it is going to expand the deployment of this sensor network system to cover other parts of the network, which would be the newly laid pipelines as well as pipelines where there is limited coverage and in the next two to three years to also cover the NEWater and industrial water pipelines.