the problem slowly started to come into focus.
Leak detection throughout the town’s system
with listening and correlation equipment, and
through auditing and review of production
and billing records, it was determined that the
town was experiencing around 50% losses; or
for every 1,000 gallons billed another 1,000
gallons was going unaccounted.
A lot of this work was initially meter to meter
and hydrant to hydrant, (listening) and each
day that the work continued, we started to
discover more of the causes of our situation.
A small leak here and there at first, but
with time and as knowledge of the system
increased, the leaks started to add up and
get bigger and older as time went by (Some
large leaks had found routes that allowed
them go unnoticed for many years). Without
the dedication of NCRWA circuit riders to
stick with town staff and continue the search
even when sometimes it felt futile (they will
keep working as long as you can stand it, and
won’t quit until you do), I do not believe the
town would have been able to accomplish
what it has to improve accountability to
its current, and very much improved, level
without their support and expertise.
The current reduction in lost/unaccounted for
water is approximately 200,000 gallons per
day; this has reduced the time that treatment
plant finished water pumps need to run each
day by more than four hours per day. This
has reduced production expenses by over
$100,000.00 per year. And even though there
have been hundreds of hours of leak detection,
hundreds of hours of data reviewed, the cost
to the town has been absolutely “zero” dollars.
That is the best price ever!!! Had the town
chosen to use other resources to accomplish
this same result, it would have cost many tens
of thousands of dollars, and with the basic
problem being a lack of funds (money) to begin
with, it was our good fortune that NCRWAwas
available and willing to help the town.
There is still work to be done, and goals to
be accomplished here at Bryson City. Meter
rehabilitation is currently at the top of the
priorities list; indications are that many of
our meters are failing and rehab will help
increase revenue and hopefully bring losses
down to acceptable levels, bringing the Town
into compliance with the requirements of the
2009 Drought Bill. (SS 143-355.4)
The only way you will accomplish a positive
result like this is with a concerted team effort.
Plant operators, meter readers, public works,
maintenance operators, managers, board
members, and other political leaders will
all need to work together, communicate and
share information freely. Understand that you
are all on the same team with a mutual goal (a
self-sufficient utility, operated as efficiently
as possible, while providing the safest and
highest quality service possible to your
customers). With the help of NCRWA and
a concerted team effort on behalf of Bryson
city and its staff, we have made a great deal
of progress in what most would consider a
remarkably short amount of time. Many long
days of very difficult work can be involved in
identifying and fixing even a single leak, and
occasionally the search can turn into weeks.
You will get there if you work together.
If you are interested in bringing your system’s
unaccounted-for water under control, the
resource that NCRWA represents to you and
your system is huge, and in many cases, totally
unutilized. Many do not know what services
are available, nor do they know that NCRWA
is not a regulatory agency. They are there to
help you and nothing more, and as long as
you and your staff are willing to work on and
pursue these problems, the folks at NCRWA
will stick with you every step of the way. I
consider the experience of working with
NCRWA one of the highlights of my career in
the water industry, and I am very proud to call
all of the NCRWA staff members that I have
had the pleasure to work alongside, “friend.”
Good luck to you all,
Russell Ball
Town of Bryson City
