This section provides a selection of relevant projects. Tynemarch work encompasses a wide range of activities within the water industry and further details of this work can be provided on request. Clients are not mentioned where we have been specifically requested not to do so.
Developing an assessed non-household night use approach for Southern Water to provide company-specific information
The need for a company-specific view of non-household night use was the driver for the development of the methodology. Tynemarch were responsible for all aspects of the initial study including the management of data collection, data handling and analysis. Following the pilot studies the method was implemented in software to enable local staff to capture and handle the data in a consistent manner.
UKWIR project for the assessment of household night use (in progress)
Study to determine a methodology for the assessment of household night use for night flow estimation using data from individual domestic consumption monitors and small area studies with conventional or Socrates logging. The study has collected and analysed all significant available UK data to develop stratified models of household use. [Currently in progress.]
Review and development of the Socrates methodology and results application
Study to determine appropriate confidence limits on the results obtained through Socrates studies accounting for DMA size and sample numbers. Modelling of household night use through stratification of the customer types.
Project management of Socrates surveys to determine a household night use estimate
Project management of all aspects of the survey from use of GIS and zonal leakage information to determine suitable Socrates locations; procurement of site works to allow Socrates loggers to be fitted; organisation of site data sufficient for Socrates contractors to bid; award of contracts to three consultants; management of contract progress and analysis of results.
Review of night leakage strategy for reporting and operational use
Study to review all components of night leakage to enable consistent results to be used for both regulatory reporting and for operational use. Project includes review of flow data sources (telemetry, various logger systems); development of consistent analysis procedures; data collection strategies for customer use (household and non-household); spreadsheet and database rationalisation for the short term and strategies in software development or procurement for the longer term.
Systems analysis to integrate leakage management with other corporate systems
High level systems analysis relating all relevant corporate systems (e.g. GIS, Job Control, Telemetry data, Billing data, etc.) to data specific to leakage teams. Outline system specification to maximise use of existing corporate investments while retaining key leakage information under the control of the leak detection teams. Specification was provided with a phased plan of systems development.
Developing a strategy for IT systems for the management of leakage data
Implementation of database and GIS developments to improve the efficiency of the leakage function, including the analysis and translation of DMA logged flow data to provide information for management reporting and full geo-referencing of the customer database.
Development of software tools for leakage management
Software tool development to manage the data relating to:
Leaks found, repairs effected and human resource activity. Linked to data from the corporate job control system. Reporting to determine the effectiveness of leak detection effort.
Management of DMA statistics (e.g. mains length, property counts of each type etc.) and management of DMA boundaries with in a desktop GIS.
Night flow statistics from flow data linked to DMA characteristics to provide night leakage reporting.
Database to store and manage non-household night use readings to determine night use allowances
A review of the literature relevant to leakage
An international literature review undertaken prior to the publication of Managing Leakage that provided a water company with the information on active areas of research in the UK and abroad.
Reviewing and improving the South-East NRA "control area" domestic consumption monitor methodology
A domestic consumption monitor study involving a number of companies across the South-East. The study had logged flows into control areas of up to approximately 200 properties of known type. The model used was exhibiting poor performance and an improved model utilising a multiple linear regression against housing types was developed that exploited maximum information from the available data set.
Development of a domestic consumption monitor database for Essex and Suffolk Water - including quantification of customer supply pipe leakage
E&SW have previously monitored unmeasured domestic consumption through a sample of properties. The database used for the monitor was redesigned to accommodate an expansion of the sample, the turnover of customers participating and the extension of the data captured from manual readings to logged data. All analysis and reporting functions were included in the database design.
Developing a methodology for the prioritisation of infrastructure refurbishment and/or replacement to achieve defined serviceability targets, including leakage reduction
The methodology developed provided a cornerstone of the approach adopted by a major water plc to the development of their AMP3 Strategic Business Plan. The methodology included the identification and modelling of a range of factors judged to be leading indicators of leakage at the Leakage Control Zone level.
Interim Determination risk analysis study, including estimation of the impact on company leakage performance of reductions in operational leakage detection resources
This confidential study was undertaken for a UK water plc in order to estimate the consequences of the Ofwat proposed interim price determination. The study covered a wide range of capital and operational expenditure components, including estimation of the impact on leakage performance of reduced leakage detection resources.
Development of a component-based methodology for the estimation of peak demands on water supply and distribution systems to support the EA supply-demand balance requirements
The methodology required modelling via simulation of the distributions of summer daily demands for the components of household (flats, detached etc) and non-household types and their correlation to determine the distribution of overall demands on the system for each of the next 20 years of the planning horizon. The effects of changes in housing type and leakage policy could then be reviewed against the absolute and relative peaks predicted to determine infrastructure improvements required to handle short term peaks.
A review of the Ofwat comparative efficiency models for water and wastewater
An econometric study into the models used by Ofwat for the comparative efficiency of water companies. The existing models were first reconstructed from the published data and then reviewed as to their robustness. Finally alternative models were proposed.
