Sahara® Leak & Gas Pocket Detection

After several thousands of miles of inspection, Sahara® remains a critical component of condition assessment and water loss management programs for utilities around the world.

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Fluid

Potable Water
Raw Water
Wastewater

Pipe Materials

All

Pipe Diameters

6" (150mm) and larger

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The first tool designed for live inspection of large diameter water mains, the Sahara® Pipeline Inspection System is one of the most accurate tools available for detecting leaks, pockets of trapped gas, and structural defects in complex networks of large diameter water mains.

How it works:

Sahara® pipeline inspections are conducted while the main remains in service by inserting a sensor into any tap 2" (50 mm) or larger. A small drag chute uses the flow of water to draw the sensor through the pipeline.

The sensor is tethered to the surface, allowing for real-time results, and maximum control and sensitivity. Our surface tracking device allows the position of leaks and other pipeline features to be located to within 18" (500 mm). With over 2,000 leaks found in 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of inspections, Pure sets a standard in leak detection for large diameter pipelines.

Sahara® Advantages

No disruption to pipeline service
Use existing 2" (50 mm) taps
Tethered control ensures full control
Proven sensitivity to leaks as small as 0.005 gal/min
Over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of inspections
Accurate surface tracking to map your pipeline
Easy to use in mains 6" (150 mm) and larger
For pipelines of all materials
Handles pressures up to 200 PSI (14 Bar)
Able to find and map pipelines

Featured Projects

Maynilad Water Services - Leak Detection

Maynilad is the water and wastewater services provider for 17 cities and municipalities that comprise the West Zone of the greater Metro Manila area. The work included the use of Sahara® leak detection, in addition to video inspection on a major pipeline system.

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) - Sahara Leak Detection

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has focused on water loss management programs for the past decade and is well known for its annual water audit and for pioneering new methods such as the use of District Metered Areas (DMA) and advanced pressure management. In 2007 PWD also began to use the Sahara system for precise leak location on its large diameter water transmission mains.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) - Sahara Leak Detection

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. It serves 29 wholesale water agencies and delivers approximately 260 million gallons of water per day to its customers through a 280-mile pipeline network.

Fact: Large Diameter Water Pipelines Leak

Pure inspections have found an average of 1.4 leaks per mile of large diameter pipeline in North American cities. These leaks typically go undetected for longer periods of time, up to 20 years before they surface.

There may be a much greater financial and environmental ROI from long-term inspection programs focusing on large diameter distribution mains.

Value of Water Lost (USD)*
Diameter of Leak Hole (inches)	0.1	0.25	0.33	0.5	0.75	1
1 Year	$2,509	$15,684	$27,826	$62,734	$141,152	$250,936
5 Years	$12,547	$78,418	$139,130	$313,670	$705,758	$1,254,680
10 Years	$25,094	$156,835	$278,261	$627,340	$1,411,515	$2,509,361
20 Years	$50,187	$313,670	$556,521	$1,254,680	$2,823,031	$5,018,721

*Value of water loss calculated using $2,000 USD per million gallons of water as a typical retail price in the United States. Pure does not guarantee financial or environmental outcomes.

Sahara® Pipeline Inspection Applications:

Large Main Condition Assessment
Detect large leaks indicating imminent failure
Detect any through-wall corrosion pits causing pinhole leaks
Detect cracks and failing joints losing even tiny amounts of water
Video inspection of pipe linings
Locate and map piplines if plans are unavailable

Water Loss Management:

Sahara® has generated 100 million gallons/day in water savings
Has detected 2 leaks/mile – more than any other system
Average leak size of over 40,000 gallons/day (150,000 liters/day)
Proven returns of 5 to 40 times total program cost
Can detect illegal taps while line is in use or with video

Video Inspection of Live Mains:

In-service CCTV inspection through a 2" (50 mm) tap
Visual inspection of cement and other liners
Internal corrosion and tuberculation assessments
Locate and inspect line valves
Check for debris and blockages
Locate unknown laterals including illegal taps / connections

Wastewater Force Main and Siphon Assessment:

Inspect lines with no service interruption
Detect leaks at pressures as low as 5 psi (1/3 Bar)
Locate pockets of trapped gas to prevent H2S corrosion
Assess levels of air entrainment
Evaluate pump performance
Enable environmental compliance
Accurately map force mains of any material

Pre-commissioning Inspections of New Pipelines:

Sahara®-NoFlow arrangement for inspecting pipes with pressure but no flow
Emergency services for contractors failing a pressure test
Locate leaks as small as 0.005 g/min – less than the AWWA makeup allowance for most pressure tests
Achieve Zero Leakage by running a planned Sahara® test with your hydrostatic pressure test