Halma Water Management News - a Halma PR news blog

New product combines acoustic leak detection with AMR data collection

Halma Water Management’s Fluid Conservation Systems (FCS) and Datamatic Ltd. have partnered to provide an innovative wireless leak detection system to customers in the United States and international water utilities markets.  By combining FCS’s Permalog™ leak noise sensors and Datamatic’s FIREFLY, the new system allows utilities to check their entire distribution system for leaks simultaneously with meter reading.

Deployed throughout the distribution system, Permalogs attach magnetically to valves and use advanced algorithms to discern the acoustic signature of leaks from background noise.  Leak noise data is collected by the ROADRUNNER Mobile or handheld that is simultaneously performing normal Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) operations.  A Digital Leak Noise Correlator can then be used to pinpoint the leak’s location.  Armed with this precise location information, repair crews can quickly find and repair leaks.

Established in 1978, FCS is the North American industry leader in water leak detection technology.  For more than 25 years, Datamatic has provided advanced meter reading and field data collection solutions to the water, gas and electric utilities.  By integrating technologies, the companies now provide added value to water utilities, reducing operational costs in terms of data collection and leak localization.

FCS President Rob Fish said, “Fluid Conservation Systems constantly evaluate ways to maximize the effectiveness of our products for our customers.  The partnership with Datamatic’s data collection systems will allow us to provide an enhanced operational solution to the water utility.”

Datamatic Business Development Manager Rich Sanders noted, “A single eight-gallon-per-minute leak will waste more than four million gallons of water in a year.  Small leaks that stay hidden eventually become big leaks, causing main breaks, sinkholes, flooding and serious service disruptions.  This new system will allow communities to quickly identify and fix leaks, conserving valuable resources.”

The integrated Datamatic/FCS leak detection solution is now available only from Datamatic and its authorized distributors.  For further information, contact a local distributor or Datamatic at (800) 880-2878.

About FCS Inc.

FCS (www.fluidconservation.com), a division of Halma Water Management, is the North American industry leader in water leak detection technology.  FCS was the first organization to patent leak correlation technology, and today their products are installed with over 1000 utilities throughout the United States.  For additional information, contact National Sales Director Lou Rossetti at (800) 531-5465 or lrossetti@fluidconservation.com.
 
About Datamatic, Ltd.

Datamatic (www.datamatic.com) provides flexible data collection solutions to utilities worldwide.  The company’s innovative ideas virtually created an industry when it installed the first electronic meter reading system in 1980.  For more than a quarter of a century, Datamatic has been an innovation leader in the design, implementation and support of advanced data collection solutions for water, gas and electric utilities.

EYDAP S.A., the Greek water utility, has installed 15 ControlMate-FM PRV Controllers from Halma Water Management. Currently the devices are being used to cover metering zones of at least 50,000 people each, providing an instant and measurable improvement to the efficiency of the water supply network.

The ControlMate-FM attaches to the pressure reducing valve for a metering zone, adjusting the pressure of the supplied water in response to flow demands placed on the network. Either controlled remotely or set up to respond to certain conditions (flow modulation or time regulation), pressure transients and variations are reduced to minimise the incidence of leaks and bursts due to unnecessary pressure excesses or sudden surges. Early results from the project, which is still in progress, have indicated decreases in minimum night flow of 25% to 50% due to the pressure controllers.

Local HWM distributor Olympios S.A. helped to identify the optimal areas of installation for the controllers, as well as training EYDAP staff in the use of the products, providing local language support documents, and giving continuing support and maintenance for the equipment. Excellent technical support and respected reputations have led to Olympios building up a close relationship with the supply company, and they are often consulted when new services, products, or upgrades are considered.

Davies to develop new routes to market in US for HWM products

To further investigate opportunities for integrating their products into the US wastewater and utility water markets, Halma Water Management (HWM) has appointed Laurance Davies as Business Development Director USA.

 
As Business Development Director, Davies is responsible for finding new opportunities to incorporate HWM’s acoustic leak detection equipment, flow and pressure data loggers and flow measuring equipment into the water and wastewater industries.  Davies is based in Cwmbran, UK but will work closely with HWM’s company in the US, Fluid Conservation Systems Inc. (FCS), based in Milford, Ohio.
Davies brings a wide range of experience to HWM from a number of previous executive roles.  Before his position at HWM, Davies was Supply Chain Director at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Cardiff, UK), a franchise of Johnson and Johnson, and manufacturer of medical diagnostic kits.  Prior to that, he was Sales and Marketing Director of JJ Churchill (Market Bosworth, UK), a manufacturer of precision metal parts for the aircraft industry, and before that Business Unit Manager for United Technologies Automotive, a manufacturer of automotive wiring harnesses.  Davies holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Liverpool (Liverpool, UK).

“The US utility water and wastewater markets stand to benefit a great deal from Halma Water Management’s innovative product range. Our products are global market leaders, and offer utilities the opportunity to take a pro-active approach to the challenges they face today” says Davies.