- The inspection of the 7.9 km pipeline with Aganova’s Nautilus® technology located four hidden leaks and one anomaly that had prevented the infrastructure from meeting commissioning requirements.
Aganova and SUEZ have supported Essex & Suffolk Water in successfully commissioning a new DN800 raw water transmission main serving Langford Water Treatment Works in Essex, United Kingdom.
The 7.9 km pipeline was constructed to increase supply capacity and reinforce the resilience of the water network. However, repeated pre-commissioning pressure tests revealed the possible presence of defects that conventional leak detection methods had been unable to locate.
To address the issue, SUEZ’s Leakage and Condition Assessment Team worked with Aganova to inspect the pipeline using Nautilus®, Aganova’s free-swimming in-line inspection technology.
The inspection precisely located four leaks and one additional anomaly, providing Essex & Suffolk Water with the information required to undertake targeted repairs. Following the completion of the remediation work, the pipeline successfully met its commissioning requirements.
Advanced inspection technology unlocks pipeline commissioning
The pipeline’s rural location and the absence of visible signs of leakage made it particularly difficult to determine the source of the pressure losses. Nautilus® travelled inside the pipeline with the water flow, recording acoustic data to identify leaks and other anomalies that could not be detected from the surface.
The inspection, carried out last summer, identified two high-severity leaks, one medium-severity leak, one low-severity leak and one anomaly consistent with an incipient leak. The two most significant leaks alone were estimated to be responsible for approximately one megalitre of water loss per day, explaining the repeated failure of the pressure tests.
Aganova and SUEZ specialists analysed the inspection data and delivered a detailed report to Essex & Suffolk Water within one week. The precise location of the incidents allowed repairs to be focused on the affected areas, avoiding further investigations and unnecessary excavation along the nearly eight-kilometre pipeline.
Collaboration to strengthen water network resilience
The successful commissioning of the Langford raw water main represents an important milestone for infrastructure designed to enhance supply capacity and network resilience.
The project brought together Aganova’s advanced in-line inspection technology and SUEZ’s expertise in leakage detection and pipeline condition assessment to resolve a complex issue that had delayed commissioning.
The results also highlight the role of advanced inspection technologies in supporting the delivery of critical water infrastructure by reducing uncertainty, enabling targeted interventions and accelerating decision-making.
