What change in field services can be expected with a 50% leakage reduction target?

Every leakage operative learns early on in their career, that there is no silver bullet in this industry. You have to be outstanding at the basics of leakage detection as well as using available technology and data effectively. With a 50% leakage reduction level required by 2050, there are certainly some changes in field services we can predict and plan for moving forwards.

Gareth Ingram, Operations Director

One of the more interesting things one might come across while reading the recently published Water UK Leakage Routemap to 2050, is the retrospective view of the industry over the last 30 years, since privatisation. The detection techniques outlined in documents such as the "Technical Committee Report No. 26" and "Managing Leakage", have not changed significantly since they were published in the 1980s and 1990s. Yet the challenge to reduce leakage has increased significantly.

The one thing that all leakage operatives learn early in their careers is that there is no silver bullet in this industry. You have to be outstanding at the basics of leakage detection as well as using the available technology and data available to find leaks. Given the leakage reduction levels required by 2050, where are we today with technology and data and what can we expect moving forward?

Firstly, we need to be outstanding at the basics. We need to ensure that the leakage operatives that assist our clients are effectively trained, understand the leakage detection process, and are able to use technology to assist them in finding the leaks on the network. Training is an essential part of the RPS approach, and we are continuing to hire more and more apprentices every year. We are building a legacy for the future and providing ongoing training, as part of our development pathways once their apprenticeship are completed. We continually look to train our people in a mix of formal and informal training to ensure that they are as efficient as possible when detecting leaks.

Secondly, we need the best technology on the market in order to provide as much data as possible to the leakage operative in the field. At RPS we’re continuously driving improvements, trialling new technologies for detecting leaks using both acoustic and alternatively, non-acoustic methodology. We also look to add value by using new processes to improve the way that older technologies are adapted, to improve performance. We have seen a new generation of tech-savvy operatives enter the industry, keen to explore new ways of working, providing feedback and using a vast amount of data to improve performance.

A worrying trend however, is that there is a significant skills shortage across the industry. Retaining these skilled resources is an immediate challenge when there are several similar opportunities in the wider utilities sector, as well as other industries. At RPS, we want to leave a legacy of skilled operatives for the next generation, by investing in our people. We ensure that they receive the training they require to be efficient at finding leaks, and also ensuring that they are remunerated appropriately for their skills and experience. We believe that a ’Right First Time‘ approach that is effective and efficient, is the most valuable and cost-effective way of doing things. This brings additional benefits to water companies, enabling retention of a highly skilled, experienced and motivated workforce as well as improving the job satisfaction.

To further help with our effort to leave a good legacy for the next generation, we have explored different and new challenges to attract individuals into the industry. These new approaches have already led to improved diversity in our work force. Diversity helps to build creative thinking and curiosity, which enables a different perspective and new ways of tackling a problem. This has allowed us to further innovate in the way that we approach field operations.

In summary, the challenges to reduce leakage by 50% by 2050, will need to be addressed by attracting high-calibre talent to our industry. We need to invest in our people making them highly-trained and competent with increased diversity. We will also require a mix of existing and new methodologies and technology in the active leakage control discipline. RPS has already begun to instil some of these changes as we look to make our work force as efficient and effective as possible, creating shared value for ourselves and for our clients.