In a South Australian first, SA Water is trialling the use of satellites in a bid to proactively predict leaks and breaks in the state's water main network to minimise the impact on the community.
Covering more than 820 kilometres of underground pipe across Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs, the trial will use satellite imagery and monitoring to accurately assess ground movement – which is one of the primary causes of water main leaks and breaks – and highlight potential incidents before they arise.
The scans will help SA Water detect potential future pipe breaks, with the information provided to the operational crews allowing them to be proactive in managing water main repairs and workload impacts.
The trial will cover areas of Athelstone and Rostrevor which are among the suburbs most prone to water main incidents due to reactive soil conditions that shrink in the heat and swell in the wet.
These suburbs are located in the Adelaide foothills which feature a unique combination of soil layers that shift when they dry out or become wet.
The satellite trial is part of continued investment in smart technology by SA Water.
More than 1,000 pressure loggers and acoustic sensors have been installed over the past two years across Adelaide, with additional installations planned by the end of 2025.
Monitoring acoustic patterns and changes in water flow or pressure, the smart technology uses real-time data to detect potential pipe cracks in the underground water pipes – with any disparities triggering further investigation.
More than 250 leaks have been proactively detected and addressed by these sensors in the past 12 months alone, helping to minimise potential impact to the community which could involve a temporary disruption to their water supply or impacts on commuters on key arterial roads.
This comes amid a continued period of drier-than-average conditions across much of South Australia, which is predicted to cause an increase in water main incidents this year.
Sustained periods of less rainfall can shrink or crack the soil, causing underground pipes to shift, increasing the risk of leaks or breaks.
Along with the satellite trial and smart networks, SA Water have additional crews on standby to manage the predicted increase in water main incidents.
The community is also encouraged to report any leaks to SA Water through its website or Adelaide-based Customer Care Centre, so they can be prioritised for repair by SA Water field crews.
As put by Nick Champion
We are always looking to innovate and find new ways to minimise the potential impact of water main breaks.
Already we have seen results.
The new acoustic sensors installed across Adelaide have helped to detect hundreds of minor leaks.
This new satellite technology trial will hopefully help the crews fix a fault before it becomes a bigger issue, saving time and money in future repairs.
With the sustained dry conditions, areas of Adelaide will become more susceptible to water main leaks and breaks so using this new technology should help us reduce the impact on the community.
