The first marking ball has been installed at our ISKI project.

An era of Electronic Marking at ISKI

In the efficient operation of water networks, the accessibility of valves is essential. In efforts to reduce physical water losses, the use of acoustic listening methods and equipment—such as Valve Contact Rod Microphones, Correlators, and Noise Recorders—facilitates and enables the effective detection of leakage points.

Valves frequently become buried beneath the surface as a result of road, asphalt, and pavement works. To prevent the subsequent loss of valves or to facilitate the easy identification of critical points (such as T-junctions, air valves, discharge and measurement chambers, and areas prone to dramatic line failures due to road crossings, etc.) on the network, it is essential that Electronic Markers are utilized. These markers are placed freely underground at the time of initial pipeline construction, during valve revisions and upgrades, and in repair excavations on the network. They are embedded in the vicinity of valves or at appropriate locations on the line, allowing for their subsequent easy detection with detectors. Thus, Electronic Markers must be an indispensable component of network systems.

We have observed that the success rate of efforts by water authorities to detect lost objects has been notably low. The use of metal detectors has proven ineffective due to their tendency to react to every metal within their range, which reduces the detection accuracy to below 50%. In terrestrial measurement operations, the issue of GPS signal loss within urban areas has led to errors in initial readings or detection assessments. Each erroneous detection necessitates excavation, which incurs significant financial and reputational costs for water authorities.

In recent years, ISKI has made significant strides in combating water losses and serves as a model by valuing every drop of water. Through physical scanning operations, existing leaks are detected, DMAs (District Metered Areas) are established for pressure management, and water losses are monitored in real time. Ensuring that network lines are more accessible and easier to locate is also fundamental in the fight against water leaks. In this context, marking balls have begun to be installed at critical points.

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