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Hutchinson water department reports 117 million gallons saved, plans continued leak detection
Summary
The city's utilities director reported a roughly 4% year-over-year reduction in treated water loss — about 117 million gallons — yielding roughly $166,140 in plant cost savings and an estimated $591,265 in recoverable revenue; staff will continue meter replacements and three-year leak-detection work.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — City utilities staff told the Hutchinson City Council on Feb. 17 that changes in field operations and an outside leak-detection effort reduced treated water losses by roughly 4%, an improvement staff quantified at about 117,000,000 gallons.
David Gwen, the city’s director of utilities, said the reduction reflects targeted work on hydrants, valves and leaks and the hiring of a leak-detection contractor. "So totals for 2025: main breaks, 51; service leaks, 80; hydrants replaced, 58; hydrant repairs, 49; valves replaced, 39," Gwen said, urging the council to recognize crew efforts. He told the council the water-loss decrease translated to an approximate plant cost savings of $166,140 and future-sale revenue potential of about $591,265 based on the city’s lowest-tier rate.
Gwen said some meter replacements and the rollout of automatic meter infrastructure (AMI) will help capture additional savings and that leak-detection work is planned on a three-year cadence. He described the current non-revenue water rate at roughly 18.7% and said his long-term goal is closer to 12%.
Council members praised operations and leadership and asked about additional technology and monitoring; Gwen said pressure-monitoring and AMI are options but are costly and not the immediate priority while crews continue hydrant and valve work.
