Lekasjevannkompetanse

Lekasjevannkompetanse is an interdisciplinary competence focused on the management of leakage water within urban water systems and building services. It encompasses the knowledge, skills, and practices needed to prevent, detect, quantify, and remediate water losses to ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable water supply and drainage.

Scope includes potable water networks, wastewater and stormwater systems, and building-level plumbing. It covers planning, design, operation, and maintenance activities aimed at minimizing leakage, as well as emergency response to spillages or burst pipes.

Core competencies include hydraulic engineering, water balance analysis, leak detection methods, and data-driven asset management. Techniques commonly used are district metering and smart sensor networks, acoustic or correlator-based leak detection, pressure management, and condition-based maintenance. Rehabilitation and renewal options such as trenchless pipe repair are integral, as are risk assessment, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.

Tools and methods involve monitoring systems (SCADA, IoT), advanced analytics, and field surveys. Metrics typically tracked include non-revenue water, total leakage, specific leakage rate (L/km), and service continuity indicators.

Applications span municipal water utilities, district heating and cooling systems, and building services engineering for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. The goal is to reduce water losses, lower operating costs, extend asset life, and mitigate environmental impact.

Education and training pathways include civil or environmental engineering, water resources management, and dedicated leakage management programs. Stakeholders include utilities, municipalities, engineers, plumbers, and facility managers.

See also: non-revenue water, water loss management, leak detection.