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Committee asks staff to seek leak‑detection and flow‑meter proposals after Rio Oso drawdown analysis
Summary
After analysis showed unaccounted overnight drawdown and pumps running at high duty cycles, the committee directed staff to solicit leak‑detection proposals (including for Van Vleck) and to return with cost estimates, with a target of presenting proposals at the March improvements committee meeting.
The improvements committee asked staff on Jan. 6 to pursue leak‑detection and improved flow‑metering for the Rio Oso pressure zone after an analysis showed nighttime tank drawdown inconsistent with expected demand.
Consultants and operations staff said the district has an incoming flow meter on the inlet to the Rioso tank but lacks a precise outgoing flow meter for the distribution side, which complicates identifying where water is going. Joe said summer nighttime drawdown rates were as high as 300–400 gallons per minute in some measured periods and that winter drawdown was lower but still notable; he said the pattern suggests either nighttime irrigation behavior, a system leak or pump inefficiency.
"We tried to do an estimate of how much water comes out of that tank when the valve's closed during the middle of the night to see what, is there a big giant leak somewhere?" Joe said. Staff recommended adding leak‑detection technology and additional metering to pinpoint losses and improve non‑revenue‑water accounting.
The committee directed staff to gather proposals and costs (including options for Van Vleck), and asked staff to return with recommendations at the March improvements meeting. Staff noted that leak detection and metering are consistent with broader urban water management trends and could reduce non‑revenue water.
