Fort Erie tackles water loss with acoustic leak detection program

It might sound as though the Town of Fort Erie is about to perform an intimate set on the patio at Brimstone Brewing Co., but acoustic leak detection is just part of ongoing municipal work.

Crews from Hetek Solutions will begin conducting acoustic watermain testing throughout town on Monday. The work will continue until June 1, with testing set to be done both during the day and at night.

An emailed response to questions that was provided by the Town’s water and wastewater department said the project is part of Fort Erie’s annual program to combat water loss issues.

“We have made several improvements this year to the program, including the implementation of an internal leak detection program to have a more consistent and cost-effective approach,” the email said.

Including work overnight will help improve results, the Town said, since there is less usage and as a result, lower levels of ambient noise.

The work will take place daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and throughout the night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. No additional noise will be produced and the work won’t impact water supplies, according to the Town.

“Work will be conducted on Town property. That being said the public should be aware that water assets such as hydrants and valves that will be used during this water loss study may be located on the frontage of properties,” the emailed response said.

Those valves may be located on lawns, boulevards, drives and approaches.

Fort Erie, like many municipalities, faces challenges with unbilled water losses. A report to council last year suggested those losses cost the Town $1.3 million in 2023.

Some of it is understood, such as water used in firefighting activities and system flushing, but a lot is the result of infrastructure failure. Given enough time, even the tiniest of leaks can cause significant water losses. This creates a discrepancy between what the Region bills Fort Erie, and what the Town bills the end water users.

“To combat water loss, programs like this one are a necessity as the Town of Fort Erie and surrounding municipalities face several challenges with types of soil conditions such as rock, sand and hard clay that prevent water from surfacing during leakage,” the Town’s email said.

“Hiring a subject matter expert in this field allows us to locate and repair the leaks that are not visible through the naked eye.”

Cost for the work is undetermined, and will be based on how much work they can get done within the project time frame. All Hetek vehicles will have decals on them, and staff will have visible identification and be in brightly coloured personal protective equipment.

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