Locating and fixing water leaks effectively and efficiently is one of the key drivers behind every UK water company from a regulatory, customer and financial basis.
The war on water leaks often gets lost, simply by searching for a single ubiquitous solution that can be rolled out to all water leak technicians, for all environments, for all types of pipe. To win the war on water leaks we must look past individual battles and look holistically at what is required to defeat all the leaks. Synthotech are specialists in no-dig technology who joined the war on water leaks 7 years ago bringing its’ 30 years of experience in the gas industry.
Having a range of leak detection equipment to suit each individual battle depending upon the environment and the way the networks operate builds a range of leak detection tools within the armoury to get great results quickly. Every dig location needs to locate a leak quickly and efficiently and using precision tooling can achieve this, but only by using the right tooling for the environment.
Helping the industry cut leakage, reduce costs and improve customer service.
Most networks operate network monitoring systems, whereas Synthotech has focused on pinpoint leak location. Knowing exactly where to dig can save the greatest in both reinstatement and third party / customer disruption. Synthotech have quickly developed an enviable reputation for supplying some of the world’s best above ground water leak detection equipment. As the UK sole distributor for Esders GMBH, FAST GMBH and SebaKMT Synthotech can supply the right equipment for pinpointing leaks from above ground, whether it is using acoustic location or gas location or combination kits.
Synthotech also specialise in in-pipe leak location, whether that is for service pipes or mains, locating the leak accurately every time, irrelevant of the surrounding environment. As a specialist in live access tools, they are the worlds largest supplier of live access CCTV systems for use in live gas pipes and have transferred this technology into a range of live access CCTV systems with or without acoustic leak detection, ranging from 20mm service pipes up to trunk mains. Locating leaks from within a pipe eliminates the risks involved with background noise and vibration and sub soil structure which can sometimes give varying results. With access capable into pipes from hydrants and boundary boxes, the limitation of in-pipe leak detection has now become a thing of the past.
Delivering no-dig technology
Having located a leak accurately surely we still have to dig the road up to fix the leak? Well, there are a number of in-pipe leak repair systems that can be used, without the need for digging on the pipe but they do require isolation of the pipe and some form of flushing. Synthotech are partnered with no less than nine water companies led by Thames Water, Transport for London and the University of Sheffield under the OFWAT Breakthrough challenge to develop a true no-dig technology that can repair pipes without the need for isolating or flushing the network. This four-year development is based on the fact that Synthotech can already accurately locate water leaks both visually and acoustically. This coupled with its knowledge and experience gained over the past 8 years of using robotics to fix gas leaks from inside the pipe means that they are ahead of the curve in relation to delivering truly no-dig repair technology for the water industry.
Mark Tindley, Synthotech’s managing director said “This is a very exciting time within the potable water industry globally. Using our leak detection technology with our advanced robotics means that we will shortly be able to locate and fix leaks without anyone knowing. Our purpose as a business is to stop utilities digging holes, and this is just a further step along the journey to fixing the network before any customers are aware that there was a problem”.
If you would like to know more about Synthotech and the products they provide they are holding an event “Innovation in Action’ at their Test site near Ripon, North Yorkshire, 25 September if you would like tickets please register here:
bit.ly/innovationinaction2025
