Hydroware (HydroScan & delaware) and De Watergroep join forces for faster, more efficient and more precise water leak detection

The complementarity of both businesses, delaware and HydroScan, in the new Hydroware entity is exactly the reason why De Watergroep selected Hydroware: it’s a unique combination of system and data integration with Belgian water know-how in leak detection, modeling, water supply assurance, integration of digital water meters and preventive asset management.

By the end of 2025, De Watergroep wants to be part of the world top when it comes to leak free piping. The goal is to reduce the infrastructure leakage index (ILI) to less than 0.5 by 2025.

Not every drop of drinking water that is produced will find its way to a tap. Leaks and bursts in water pipes can cause significant losses. However, water has become so scarce and precious we really need to use it mindfully. To that end, in 2019, De Watergroep started an ambitious program that aims to drastically lower the so-called ‘infrastructure leakage index’ (ILI). By the end of 2025, De Watergroep ‒ and in fact the whole of Flanders ‒ wants to be part of the world top when it comes to leak free water pipes. An important element in attaining this goal is to be able to detect water leaks faster and tackle them pro-actively, by deploying leak detection software, for example. In this context, the collaboration between De Watergroep and Belgium-based Hydroware will become crucial over the coming years.

De Watergroep has insourced Hydroware’s expertise to be able to implement an all-in-one solution in the battle against water leaks, using smart leak detection software. The basic principle is simple: real time water use is continuously compared with the ‘normal’ water use predicted by smart algorithms. Any anomaly will trigger an alert. These novel modeling techniques allow to detect more leaks and at an increased level of preciseness, to discover leaks below the radar or new leaks faster than before and to quantify the volumes of water lost because of the leak. This provides De Watergroep with all necessary information to define correct priorities when detecting and repairing leaks.

The partnership will start in hundred so-called district metered areas (DMA’s), discrete areas in the piping network in which the incoming water flow is metered. In a second wave, the approach will be implemented throughout the entire operations area of De Watergroep, over 400 DMA’s in total.

The ultimate goal of De Watergroep is to reduce the infrastructure leakage index (ILI) to less than 0.5 by 2025. To that end, the drinking water company has drawn up a vast action plan containing several action areas. One of them focuses on gaining better insight in leak losses, an important prerequisite to identify water leaks in a data-driven and knowledge-driven way and to correctly define priorities. The start of the collaboration with Hydroware supports all other programs that De Watergroep is implementing on faster repairs, improved pressure management and an adjusted pipe replacement program.

“We aim for a climate resilient water supply”, explains Hans Goossens, CEO of De Watergroep. “This entails that we have to resolutely tackle water leaks. The current leakage index is (too) high, for several reasons. The state of the piping network plays a part in this, as do the many rural and hilly areas in our service area and the long distances the water has to travel. In the past, a high leakage index was actually tolerated, because water scarcity just wasn’t an issue and the cost of repairing the leaks was higher than the water loss cost. The situation today is different. Water is too precious to waste. Reducing the leakage index is at the top of our priorities. At the end of 2019, we launched a program spanning several years to reduce the index to 0.5 by 2025. We are increasing the level of investments in improving the quality of our piping network. At the same time, we invest in new technologies. Together with Hydroware, we are building specialized software to detect leaks faster and more efficiently.”

“We are of course very proud to have been selected in a European tender. Our Hydroware consortium offers an all-in-one solution including a leak detection platform and a collaborative journey. The leak detection platform consists of three user-friendly components, more particularly a GIS viewer, Prioscan and LeakRedux®, and can easily be integrated in the existing application landscape. The collaborative journey enables us to support each other and exchange know-how, ”continues Dries Storme, project leader Hydroware and senior manager at delaware.

“The complementarity of both businesses, delaware and HydroScan, in the new Hydroware entity is exactly the reason why De Watergroep has selected us. Hydroware is a unique combination of system and data integration with Belgian water know-how in leak detection, modeling, water supply assurance, integration of digital water meters and preventive asset management,” adds Patrick Swartenbroekx, partner at Hydroware and HydroScan’s CEO.

Less leakage will make the drinking water supply in Flanders more climate resilient, an ambition that is entirely in line with the plans of the Flemish Government to combat water scarcity and drought, as defined in the Blue Deal. Together, we turn Flanders more robust in periods of drought and hot weather.

The Hydroware consortium has two members, both experts in their domain:

• delaware, a Belgian company that has become an international player, supports their clients in digital transformation projects offering advanced solutions and services
• HydroScan is a Belgian expert in holistic and integrated solutions for more sustainable and more cost-effective water management. More about LeakRedux®

Deloitte Belgium acts as a subcontractor and has the specific remit to ensure the quality of the processes are ISO55000 (the standard for asset management) compliant.

De Watergroep is the largest drinking water company in Flanders. Over 1,500 employees work hard every day to supply water through a network of over 34,000 kilometers to 177 municipalities spread throughout West and East Flanders, Flemish Brabant and Limburg. We serve around 3.2 million customers and hundreds of companies.

As an autonomous water company in Flanders, De Watergroep offers products and services acrossthe entire water chain. We adopt a sustainable closed-loop system to ensure the economical and ecological responsible management of every link in this water chain: rainwater, groundwater and surface water, drinking water, process water and wastewater. Starting from that vision, we act as a partner for municipal wastewater management and as supplier of water solutions for businesses.