Water Leak Testing

Project Status: COMPLETED

Throughout the month of June 2015, Facilities will be performing Underground Utility Water Leak Testing campus-wide. It is the first time Northwestern has taken on this effort on Campus.

The goal of the program is to reduce the chance of any potential water loss across the entire six miles of campus water mains. In addition to mitigating water loss, any leaks found and repaired will result in a reduction of energy loss. The program will also help improve records of our water distribution system.

Facilities continues to search for ways to provide our customers with an ever-improving efficient and effective water distribution system.


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Water Distribution System Leak Survey
The Water Distribution Leak Survey program is conducted using state of the art leak computers correlators.
Correlators are microprocessor units that measure the time it takes the sound of the leak to travel from (A) the leak to (B) the point where the leak detection correlator is connected to the water line. By connecting the leak correlator out stations to the water line at two locations bracketing the suspected leak, the correlator analyzes the time delay difference between the sound waves received at each outstation, thus giving the distance from the leak to each connection point enabling us to determine the exact leak location.


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Water Distribution System Flow Measuring and Testing
The Water Distribution System Flow Measuring and Testing program is designed to monitor the continuous flow in specifically selected areas of the water distribution system. Technicians will flow-monitor water distribution system in the designated areas for trend analysis, which can lead to the discoveries of leaks, meter inaccuracies, and other water distribution system problems.



When the well's dry, we know the worth of water. -Benjamin Franklin