The City of Olympias Approach to Water Loss Accounting

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The City of Olympias Approach to Water Loss
Accounting
Chris Jackson and Jim Rioux Water
Resources Public Works Department
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City of Olympia
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Where are We Going?

• The principle failing occurred in the sailing,
• and the Bellman, perplexed and distressed,
• Said he had hoped, at least,
• when the wind blew due East
• the ship would not travel due West!
• Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark

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In the Beginning.

• The Legislature said...
• Let there be a distribution system leakage
  standard

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Challenge for Washington State Department of
Health

• Promote new methods for water loss accounting
  within the limited authority provided by the
  2003 Municipal Water Law.

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Opportunity

• The department (DOH) may consider
  alternatives to the percentage of total water
  supplied where alternatives provide a better
  evaluation of the water system's leakage
  performance
• RCW 70.1191.180(4)(b)

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Challenge

• New Terminology
• Does this work for small systems?
• Indices for economic indictors may not work for
  any system in Washington State.
• Is water loss accounting within legislative
  authority?

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When in Doubt ? Punt

• Department of Health Direction
• Initial approach is a simple calculation.
• Flexibility to separate other components of water
  loss.
• Door is left open for a different approach.
• AndNew terminology in WAC that matches
  IWA-AWWAalmost.

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Olympias Approach to Water Loss Accounting

• Water Budget method
• Production Consumption Water Loss
• Did not include any unmetered use.
• Data Issues.

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Why We Decided to Take a Closer Look

• Issues with data
• Production data telemetry.
• Consumption data
• Upcoming distribution system leakage standard.
• Julian Thorntons presentation on Water Loss
  Accounting at WCCPS.

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Next Steps

• Read Water Loss Control Manual.
• Where is the water going?
• Brainstorm
• Develop Water Loss Model.
• Get the data.

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Uses of Water

• Billed Consumption
• Metered consumption.
• Unmetered use at construction sites.
• Unbilled Consumption
• Fire flows.
• Hydrant flushing.
• Vactor, tank, and sweeper trucks.
• Line flushing and testing.
• Sampling stations and process water.

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Uses of Water

• Apparent Loss
• Unmetered sites.
• Unauthorized use at construction sites.
• Theft of services.
• Real Loss
• Main and service breaks.
• Leak detection reporting.

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Whats Underneath the Summary Form?

• Workbooks for entering data on
• System input volume.
• Metered consumption.
• Authorized unmetered use.
• Leak detection report results.
• Estimates of use at unmetered sites.

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Challenges

• Who has the data?
• And, how do we get it from them?
• Accuracy of production data.
• Accuracy of consumption data.

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Uses of Water Who has the Data?

• Billed Consumption
• Metered consumption Utility Billing
• Unmetered use at construction sites..CPD
• Unbilled Consumption
• Fire flowsFire Department
• Hydrant flushing.Fire Department
• Hydrant flushing.OM Water
• Vactor, Tank, and Sweeper Trucks..OM Water
  and OM Sewer
• Tank Trucks..Parks
• Line Flushing and Testing.CPD
• Sampling stations and Process water.OM Water
• Apparent Loss
• Unmetered sites.Institutional
  Knowledge
• Unauthorized use at construction sites.Utility
  Billing
• Theft of servicesUtility Billing
• Real Loss
• Main and service breaksOM Water
• Leak detection reporting..OM Water

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Initially, our data collection system looked like
this
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What Changed, and How?

• Install meters at unmetered sites.
• Single point of contact for reporting.
• HTE Work Order system.
• Fire flows are minimal.

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What About the data?

• Production telemetry issues resolved.
• Bi-monthly billing not significant.
• Consumption data
• Revenue Report vs. Query.
• Use Query.
• Follow up with THE.

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Questions?
Visit us at www.olympiawa.gov