ELectro Scan Technology Finds Leaking Infrastructure Before & After Rehabilitation Projects

Sacramento, Calif. – May 10, 2016 – City councils, public works departments, and utilities may be replacing leaking sewer and water pipes with new pipes that leak as much – or more – than the old ones.

Recent studies also suggest that Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and other legacy inspection techniques may be causing engineers to design and implement rehabilitation strategies for the wrong pipes.

Those are the findings from a California-based company that has developed new technology that finds and measures defects in cement, concrete, plastic, and relined pipes that deliver or transport sewer, water, and natural gas.

With billions spent annually to fix crumbling infrastructure, a recent poll found that 46% of respondents encountered significant defects after rehabilitation.

“Today’s pipes are supplied within generally accepted industry specifications,” says Chuck Hansen, Chairman, Electro Scan.

“But, defects from improper installation and faulty service re-connections – not seen by current inspection techniques – often cause leaking pipes to be unknowingly accepted by utilities,” continues Hansen.

Problems are often not found until after a warranty expires.

Last week, Trenchless Technology magazine, a leading publication serving the underground infrastructure market, and Electro Scan Inc., conducted a webinar that highlighted a city that recently completed a 5,500-foot Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining project.

Using Electro Scanning Inspection, it was found that 1,066 ft or 19% of the project had more leakage after rehabilitation.

“Defects not typically found, include bad service connections, cracks that go through a pipe wall, defective joints, and faulty point repairs,” states Henry Gregory, former Assistant Deputy Director, City of Houston and Special Advisor to Electro Scan.

The new technology uses a focused low voltage current to evaluate 360-degrees of a pipe wall to find and measure openings that provide a clear pathway through a pipe.

Results are available in minutes on a cloud-based application.

Equipment can be purchased from the Company and added to existing CCTV trucks or vans, with services offered either by the Company or Authorized Partner.

About Electro Scan

Founded in 2011, the Company develops and markets pipe condition assessment products and services that automatically locate, measure, and report defects in sewer, water, and gas pipelines.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, Tel: +1 916 779 0660, Email: carissa@electroscan.com

New Sewer & Water Assessment and Pipe Rehabilitation Certification Guidelines Unveiled at 2016 NASTT Show

Electro Scanning Inspection Recommended to Certify Trenchless Lining and New Installations

Sacramento, Calif. – March 11, 2016 – Electro Scan, Inc. announced that it will unveil new certification standards for sewer and water pipe rehabilitation at the 2016 NASTT Show.

New guidelines emerged after finding that major defects were consistently not found using Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) inspection, prior to the acceptance of Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining and Sewer Survey Evaluation Studies (SSES) projects.

Defects not identified or accurately measured by visual inspection, include accelerator burns, bad service connections, cracks, cuts, defective inverts, over-cooking, and wrinkles – causing increased maintenance and severely reducing the useful life of the asset, if not properly fixed by the Contractor.

In contrast, new guidelines recommend locating and estimating the size of each defect – in gallons per minute – by measuring the variation in electric current able to pass through each defect or opening, in accordance with ASTM F2550.

New standards of practice were recently added to Chapter 4, Inspecting and Testing Collection Systems, in the industry’s leading manual, Volume 1, Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Collection Systems, Seventh Edition, recommending the use of Electro Scanning Inspection, published December 2015.

Co-authored by the late Ken Kerri, Ph.D., P.E., Office of Water Programs, Dr. Kerri concluded that while CCTV inspection provides good visual documentation of sewer maintenance issues, like grease, roots, and debris, CCTV is not the best choice to provide an accurate structural assessment of sewer mains or service laterals, especially given the advantages of Electro Scanning Inspection for certifying CIPP rehabilitation and SSES projects.

Volume 1 & 2 of the O&M Wastewater Collection manual, originally introduced in the 1970s, is referenced in the EPA’s Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) Program.

A key advantage of using Electro Scanning Inspection is its ability to automatically differentiate between superficial surface cracks – that do not leak – and cracks or defects that extend completely through a pipe or liner – that represent major leaks.

Common remedies to fix defects identified by Electro Scanning Inspection include liner or pipe removal & replacement and trenchless point repair.

Utilities are recommended to reference ASTM F2550-13, Section 8.5.1 and the Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Collection Systems manual, Section 4.40-4.45, to certify any pipe repair, relining, or renewal project.

During the conference, Electro Scan will also discuss its new Water Leak Detection Services – incorporating its low voltage conductivity expertise as part of its patent-pending Multi-Sensor Water Probe – designed for pressurized water mains and transmission pipes.

Electro Scanning Inspection, also called Low Voltage Conductivity Testing, is expected to be included in the upcoming AWWA M77 Water Main Condition Standard of Practice later this year.

Founded in 1990, the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) promotes responsible ways to manage underground infrastructure.

The conference will be held March 20-24, 2016 at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas.

About Electro Scan

Founded in 2011, the Company develops and markets smart pipe condition assessment products and services that automatically locate, measure, and report defects in water, sewer, storm drains, culverts, and gas pipelines.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, Tel: +1 916 779 0660, Email: carissa@electroscan.com

Sponsored by Electro Scan and Presented by AWWA CA-NV, One-Day Workshops Discuss New Standards for Locating Non-Revenue Water and Measuring Water Losses

Sacramento, CA – Electro Scan, Inc. announced its sponsorship of seven (7) statewide workshops on Water Leak Detection that begin this week in California.

“We are delighted to sponsor these timely workshops organized by the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association,” said Chuck Hansen, Chairman, Electro Scan Inc.

Workshops cost $25 to attend and will describe steps a water utility can take to help reduce their non-revenue water and mitigate real water losses through a comprehensive leak detection program.

All workshops are scheduled from 8:00am – 4:30pm, including:

 Feb 9

 ____________________________________________
 Thousand Oaks
 Calleguas Municipal Water District
 2100 E. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

 Feb 10

 ____________________________________________
 South Gate
 City of South Gate
 4244 Santa Ana Street, South Gate, CA 90280

 Feb 11

 ____________________________________________
 San Marcos
 Vallecitos Water District
 201 Vallecitos del Oro, San Marcos, CA 92069

 Feb 17

 ____________________________________________ 
 West Sacramento
 Dr. Kenneth D. Kerri Training Center
 3920 W. Capitol Avenue, Ste 100, West Sacramento, CA 95691

 Feb 18

____________________________________________ 
 Redding
 City of Redding
 20055 Viking Way, Building #4, Redding, CA 96003

 March 30

 ____________________________________________
 Coachella/Palm Desert
 Coachella Valley Water District
 Steve Robbins Admin Bldg., 75515 Hovley Lane East
 Palm Desert, CA 92211

 March 31

 ____________________________________________
 Municipal Water District of Orange County
 18700 Ward Street, Room 101, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Water utilities have come under increased scrutiny for maintaining water quality, eliminating water losses, and upgrading its aging infrastructure to protect and safeguard public health.

“In the past, acoustic sensors were used to locate general anomalies that might leak,” said Mark Grabowski, Vice President and General Manager, Electro Scan Inc.

“But, false-positive readings from road traffic, poor data repeatability, and reliance on third party data interpretation, have limited their usefulness,” continued Grabowski.

Many utilities replace old pipes with high performance plastic pipes – such as PVC, Polyethylene, and High-Density Polyethylene pipes – that represent quieter materials that do not adequately transmit sound or vibrations to detect anomalies or leaks.

As a result, private investment has focused on developing new technologies that would greatly improve the accuracy and reliability of water main condition assessment.

Referred to as Low Voltage Conductivity Testing or Electro Scanning Inspection, Electro Scan’s Smart Water technology represents the first repeatable and measurable way to locate and quantify water main leaks in gallons per minute (GPM).

“Clean technologies, like Electro Scan, are changing the way utilities find and measure leaks in Pressurized Water Mains,” said Hansen, a water industry veteran.

Provided as an exclusive service to detect leaks often not found or measured by other techniques, the company uses its patent-pending 4-in-1 multi-sensor probe that features:

1.   Low Voltage Conductivity Sensor – To measure individual leaks and quantify total water losses utilizing a low voltage conductivity tri-electrode array to find leaking cracks, pinholes, defective joints, bad service connections, and other openings to ground.

2.   High Definition CCTV Camera – To assist operators in navigating through water mains and to document leak locations found by low voltage conductivity sensor.

3.   Pressure Sensor – To provide location-specific water pressures for calculating water loss rates.

4.   Acoustic Sensor – To record sound vibrations and provide a benchmark of legacy results that can be readily compared to low voltage conductivity results.

In December 2015, Electro Scanning Inspection was added to the new edition of the wastewater industry’s leading operation and maintenance manual, recommending its use over closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection to find infiltration and to certify post-rehabilitated pipes.

For water main assessments, the company uses a neutrally buoyant fiber optic cable attached to its 4-in-1 probe to evaluate up to 2,000ft of water main from a single point of entry, accessing the main through fire hydrants, air valves, flow meters, gate valves, and pressure fittings.

In September 2015, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law (SB 555) one of the toughest reporting requirements in the nation, mandating all California water utilities to audit, report, and manage real water losses.

A company representative will attend each workshop to discuss its services, recommend budget costs, and share information about its CriticalH₂O cloud reporting system.

“If a pipe leaks electricity, it leaks water,” said Hansen.  “And, now we can both locate and estimate each leak’s water loss in GPM”

About Electro Scan

Founded in 2011, the company develops and markets smart pipe condition assessment products and services that automatically locate, measure, and report defects in water, sewer, and gas pipelines.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, Tel: +1 916 779 0660, Email: carissa@electroscan.com

EPA Enforcement Actions and New Wastewater Collection Inspection Standards Create Strong Demand for Electro Scan Sales & Contract Services

Miami, FL – February 1, 2016 – Electro Scan Florida, LLC announced the opening of new headquarters in Miami, Florida to support growing equipment sales and contract services in the Sunshine State.

Electro Scan customers in Florida include the City of Tallahassee and Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.

“Statewide enforcement actions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the release of new wastewater collection inspection standards – published in the industry’s leading manual – have increased demand for our game-changing products and services,” states Chuck Hansen, Director, Electro Scan Florida, LLC and Founder, Electro Scan, Inc.

First published in 1976 with 90,000 copies in print, Electro Scanning Inspection was added to Chapter 4: Inspecting and Testing Collection Systems, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS, VOLUME 1, SEVENTH EDITION, released December 2015.

The section on Electro Scanning Inspection recommends new standards to find & measure sewer pipe defects missed by closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection.

“In the past, wastewater collection managers were limited to visually inspecting and manually cataloging defects,” states Hansen, an early developer of CCTV standards.

According to Hansen, “Most sewer defects can’t be measured or seen by high resolution cameras. In fact, CCTV inspection has never been able to calculate leakage from cracks, bad joints, or defective service connections, needed to prioritize or certify repairs. Electro Scanning Inspection provides the missing piece.”

Using low voltage electric current, Electro Scanning Inspection represents the first reliable, repeatable, and measurable way to automatically locate and quantify sewer and water leaks in gallons per minute (GPM).

No third party data interpretation, operator judgment, or defect coding is required.

Since 1987, the EPA provided $111 billion in low-interest loans through its Clean Water State Revolving Fund to help finance infrastructure upgrades.

Last month, the EPA released a survey showing that an additional $271 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nation’s wastewater infrastructure.

Customers, bondholders, and credit rating agencies will immediately benefit from new standards to certify cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining, point repairs, and construction projects.

“Given the use of Electro Scanning Inspection as the new acceptance criteria for pre- and post-rehabilitated pipes, sewer agencies should call us for recommended language to revise bid specifications to include our smart products or contract services,” states Hansen.

“Electro Scanning Inspection finds defects that allow water to enter sewer pipes [infiltration] – contributing to backups, flooding, and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs),” states Carissa Boudwin, Director of Marketing, Electro Scan.

“It is also the only technology that finds leaking sewers [exfiltration] within the cone of influence of Florida’s aquifers,” continues Boudwin. “And, nobody wants to be on the evening news issuing ‘boil water’ notices.”

Agencies may either purchase the company’s patented equipment – easily added to CCTV trucks – or contract directly with the company for professional services.

Recently, Electro Scan expanded its service offering to include Pressurized Water Mains, finding water losses typically missed by permanent and temporary acoustic sensors.

The company’s office is located at 7950 NW 53rd Street, Suite 337, Miami, FL, 33166.

About Electro Scan
 Florida LLC
Established in 2015, the company is a subsidiary of Electro Scan Inc. specializing in marketing smart pipe condition assessment technologies to help locate, measure, and report defects in water, sewer, and gas pipelines.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, Tel: +1 305 647 2206 or +1 916 779 0660, Email: carissa@electroscan.com

Electro Scan Leak Detection Technology Featured In New Edition of Leading Wastewater Collection Manual

Important Updates Alter Sewer Main Condition Assessment and Recommends Changes in Acceptance for Rehabilitation Projects

Sacramento, Calif. – January 11, 2016 – Electro Scan Inc., a leading provider of smart water leak detection technologies and cloud computing applications, announced that its patented technology has been prominently featured in a new edition of the industry’s leading wastewater collection manual – OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS, VOLUME 1, SEVENTH EDITION.

First published in 1976 with nearly 90,000 copies in print, the OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS manual is used by operators, managers, and consulting engineers, worldwide.

The Seventh Edition was published in December 2015, while the Sixth Edition was published in 2003.

“Our manual was originally designed to allow for self-paced instruction where operators worked at their own speed,” said Ken Kerri, Ph.D., P.E., former Director of the Office of Water Programs, California State University, Sacramento (1965-1997) and Chief Project Consultant until his passing in 2014.

“Once operators started using the manual for home study, we realized that it could serve as a textbook in the classroom,” said Dr. Kerri, who co-authored the section on Electro Scanning Inspection.

Today, the Office of Water Programs is a nonprofit organization operated by University Enterprises, Inc., California State University, providing distance learning programs for the operation and maintenance of drinking water and wastewater facilities.

“We are delighted to see our technology become an integral part of Chapter 4: Inspecting and Testing Collection Systems,” states Chuck Hansen, Chairman, Electro Scan.

Electro Scan’s technology is not only explained in Section 4.4 of the Seventh Edition, but also depicted in numerous illustrations, statistical analyses, and practical applications, in accordance with ASTM F2550-13.

In numerous instances, Electro Scan’s low voltage technology is able to identify and quantify leakage amounts in gallons per minute (GPM), often where defects are not identified by certified closed-circuit television (CCTV) operators or by using other inspection techniques.

Electro Scanning Inspection also provides wet-weather condition assessment information, not available using CCTV inspection, and can be performed year around to help locate sources of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and find defects in newly repaired or relined pipes.

Important updates contained in the Seventh Edition suggest altering the acceptance criteria for rehabilitated pipes using Electro Scanning Inspection to assess the effectiveness of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), service re-connections, and point repairs, explaining the importance of quantifying pre- and post-rehabilitation inspection results.

Given Electro Scan’s ability to automatically find sources of leaks that are frequently missed by CCTV inspection, the manual suggests using Electro Scanning Inspection first to objectively locate and quantify pipe defects, then using CCTV inspection to document the most severe defects.

In addition to Electro Scanning Inspection (Section 4.4), Chapter 4: Inspecting and Testing Collection Systems also includes an updated section on CCTV Inspection (Section 4.3), Smoke Testing (Section 4.5), and Dye Testing (Section 4.6).

Continues Hansen, former Founder and CEO of Hansen Information Technologies, “It was an honor to contribute to Electro Scanning Inspection at the invitation of Dr. Kerri and share this game-changing technology with operators, managers, consulting engineers, and students.”

About Electro Scan
Founded in 2011, Electro Scan develops smart water leak detection instrumentation and cloud computing applications that automatically locate, measure, and report pipe condition assessments for water, sewer, and gas pipelines. The Company is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, Tel: +1 916 779 0660, Email: carissa@electroscan.com

Electro Scan Applauds New California Law for Reporting Water Losses

Senate Bill 555 to Require Water Suppliers to Meet New Performance Standards

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–October 12, 2015–Electro Scan Inc., a leading provider of leak detection devices and cloud computing applications for water, sewer, and gas pipelines, today applauded the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 555, signed last week by California Governor Jerry Brown.

The new law will require retail water suppliers to submit annual water loss audit reports as adopted by the Department of Water Resources, beginning October 1, 2017, and reporting for the preceding year.

Additionally, retail water suppliers must meet performance standards for the volume of water losses, beginning no later than July 1, 2020.

The new law will be added as Section 10608.34 of the Water Code and represents one of the toughest water loss control reporting standards in the nation.

SB 555 was introduced by Senator Lois Wolk (Senate District 3) and co-authored by Senators Benjamin Allen (Senate District 26) and Fran Pavley (Senate District 27), Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, and Assemblymembers Kansen Chu (Assembly Distrct 25) and Anthony Rendon (Assembly District 63).

Authors of the bill found that despite the availability of free audit software available from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and establishment of Best Management Practice by the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC), water suppliers have been slow to realize the full potential of controlling water losses.

Authors cited unreliable audit data noting a CUWCC study that found 35% of water audit data submitted by California water suppliers was invalid.

In June 2015, the UCLA Water Resources Group Institute of the Environment and Sustainability published a report entitled Water Distribution System Efficiency An Essential or Neglected Part of the Water Conservation Strategy for Los Angeles County Water Retailers?

The UCLA report surveyed 10 of the approximate 100 water retailers in Los Angeles County on leak monitoring, system-wide water losses, and the implementation of best management practices, also influencing the bill’s passage.

Electro Scan Inc. supported SB 555 as an affiliate member of Citrus Heights-based Regional Water Authority.

“This new law will represent a big change for California water utilities,” stated Chuck Hansen, Chairman of Sacramento-based Electro Scan Inc., former Chair ASTM F36.20 Inspection and Renewal of Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, and California native.

“Not only must water utilities reduce the volume of apparent losses and real losses, but audit data must be independently validated based on known water system characteristics,” said Hansen.

“One city in California serving a population of over 70,000 people has used consultants to conduct numerous water audits relying on acoustic sensors to detect potential leaks. Yet, 70% of their system consists of plastic pipe, where acoustic sensors are not reliable,” stated Hansen.

In general, acoustic sensors, correlators, data loggers, hydrophones, and other listening devices have been used to find anomalies that might indicate leaks; however, ambient noise from road traffic, water table heights, pipe material, diameter, leak size, experience of the operator, recurring false-positive readings, lack of repeatability, and requirement for third party data interpretation, limits their usefulness in many pipes.

“By using legacy technologies many leaks may go undetected and never get repaired,” added Hansen. “Even worse, under reporting of water losses may lead some water suppliers to blame customers for losses while the problem may remain with the water supplier’s own assets.”

Retail water suppliers may also overstate the volume of billed consumption and unbilled consumption, causing apparent losses and real losses to be artificially understated as part of their water balance.

SB 555 specifically states that “any final water loss audit report found to be incomplete, not validated, unattested, or incongruent with known characteristics of water system operations” will be returned.

Recently, Electro Scan released its own international patent pending next generation Low Voltage Conductivity technology that automatically detects, locates, and measures (gpm) leaks in pressurized water mains.

“SB 555 may also cause a ripple effect throughout the construction supply chain,” stated Hansen.

“Pipe manufacturing trade associations have long resisted more stringent leak tolerances for newly installed pipes, with state and local governments often setting their own standards for acceptable leakage rates,” continued Hansen.

“Retail water suppliers may no longer be willing to certify and accept new pipes that surpass leakage thresholds of 100 gallon per inch diameter mile or greater, given water loss reduction requirements,” remarked Hansen.

“The adoption of innovative technologies has always been a collaborative exchange between up and coming technology companies and water utilities,” stated Hansen. “If something provides a better way of doing things, water utilities tend to adopt them. Once one utility starts, word eventually gets out and new standards of practice emerge.”

“Management consultant Peter Drucker has said that ‘if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,’ which holds true for water loss audits, too,” commented Hansen. “As a result, leak detection devices that deliver accurate location and meaningful leakage data should enjoy wide acceptance.”

Hansen is former Chairman of Hansen Information Technologies, a leading water & sewer asset management solution provider founded in 1983 and acquired in 2007 by Alpharetta, GA-based Infor Global.

Currently, Hansen is Managing Partner for a personal investment fund based in Sacramento and Investment Advisor to Folsom-based Moneta Ventures.

About Electro Scan
Electro Scan develops leak detection devices and cloud computing applications that automatically locate, measure, and report defect flows in water, sewer, and gas pipelines. Headquartered in Sacramento, California, Electro Scan Water Leak Detection Services are exclusively available from the Company.

Contacts

Electro Scan
Carissa Boudwin, +1 916-779-0660
carissa@electroscan.com

Electro Scan & WRc Partner to Offer Innovative Services to the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland Wastewater Market

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electro Scan Inc. and its London-based subsidiary, Electro Scan (UK) Limited, today announced its partnership with WRc plc, Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

As part of its agreement, WRc has been appointed Electro Scan’s exclusive service provider offering its next generation pipe condition assessment technology for the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland wastewater market.

Electro Scan services will be offered exclusively through WRc’s  business unit.

“WRc’s proven track record of partnering with innovative technology companies is central to growing our pipeline condition assessment business,” states Dale Hartley, Commercial Manager, WRc.

Continues Hartley, “Electro Scan’s product fits nicely into our best of breed bespoke services offering.”

“WRc’s leadership in innovation and consultancy was a key factor in our decision to work together,” comments Mark Grabowski, General Manager, Electro Scan Inc.

Adds Grabowski, “Given the start of AMP6 in the UK, WRc appears well positioned to help utilities optimize their CAPEX, OPEX, and TOTEX decision making.”

In August 2015, WRc secured the Scottish Water SR15 Pipeline Inspection and Condition Assessment Framework for a six year period, with an option to extend for a further six years.

In April 2015, Electro Scan (UK) Limited won Best Project awarded by the UK Society of Trenchless Technology for its work with Severn Trent.

Chuck Hansen visits WRc in Swindon, England, April 2015.

Selected Electro Scan customers in the U.S. include the City of Coos Bay, Oregon, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, Colorado, Hamilton Municipal Utility Authority, Pennsylvania, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, Florida, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California.

WRc has a reputation for driving innovation across water, waste and gas sectors, leading the development and application of innovative technologies for inspection, monitoring and management of pipeline infrastructure.

About Electro Scan
Headquartered in Sacramento, California, the Company designs advanced instrumentation, mobile, and cloud computing applications that automatically locates, measures, and reports defects in water, sewer, and gas pipelines. Electro Scan (UK) Limited (Company Number 9211607) is located at 71-75, Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, Tel: +44 20 7692 8729, Email: info@electroscan.co.uk.

Contact
Carissa Boudwin, +1 916 779 0660, carissa@electroscan.com

New Patent Pending Multi-Sensor Probe Represents First Device to Accurately Find and Measure Water Losses

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electro Scan Inc., a global leader in pipe condition assessment announced its new patent pending multi-sensor probe that accurately finds and measures water losses.

The Company’s game changing leak detection technology is featured as part of a 90-day / 16-city international roadshow that began this week.

Water utilities commonly lose 20-30% of their production before delivery to a customer’s meter, with fixing the wrong pipe often costing 10 times more than fixing the right pipe.

Since legacy equipment, like acoustic sensors, data loggers, electro-magnetic sensors, and visual inspections are not able to reliably find water leaks, next generation technologies have been needed to accurately assess water mains and certify their repair.

“We are delighted to unveil our new technology,” said Chuck Hansen, Chairman, Electro Scan Inc. and former Chairman, Hansen Information Technologies, sold to Infor Global in 2007.

Explains Hansen, “By combining the latest technologies into our 4-in-1 Multi-Sensor Probe, offered as an exclusive service, utilities can quantify each leak’s size, location, and estimated GPM [LPS], in minutes.”

Electro Scan’s technology assesses both pressurized and gravity water mains while pipes remain in service.

The Company’s patent pending multi-sensor probe, includes:

1.   Low Voltage Conductivity Sensor – Measures individual leaks and total defect flows utilizing a low voltage conductivity tri-electrode array to find leaking cracks, pinholes, defective joints, bad service connections, and other openings to ground.

2.   High Definition Camera – Assists operators in navigating through water mains and documents leak locations found by low voltage conductivity sensor using a standard 1920×1080 high definition camera recording at 30 frames per second (fps).

3.   Pressure Sensor – Provides location-specific water pressure to assist in calculating defect flow rates.

4.   Acoustic Sensor – Records sound vibrations and provides benchmark of legacy results that can be readily compared to low voltage conductivity results.

“The Electro Scan 4-in-1 water probe was designed to find leaks not previously found by legacy methods,” states Mark Grabowski, General Manager, Electro Scan. “If a pipe leaks electricity, it leaks water.  Now we can provide a reliable, repeatable, and measurable solution for the water industry, based on our proven technology already being deployed in the wastewater collection industry.”

Pipe materials best suited for low voltage conductivity surveys, include: Asbestos Cement, Cement-Mortar Lined and Coated Steel Pipe, Cured In-Place Pipe, Fiberglass Reinforced Pipe, High-Density Polyethylene Pipe, Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe, Polyethylene Pipe, Polyvinyl Chloride, and Reinforced Concrete Pipe.

Using a neutrally buoyant fiber optic cable, Company can evaluate up to 2,000ft (610m) of water main from a single point of entry, accessed through fire hydrants, air valves, flow meters, gate valves, and pressure fittings.

“In the past, acoustic sensors may have suggested locations of general anomalies,” said Carissa Boudwin, Director of Marketing, Electro Scan.

Continues Boudwin, “But, false-positive readings, poor data repeatability, reliance on third party data interpretation, ambient noise from road traffic, water table heights, pipe diameter, and the inability to assess PVC, PE, and HDPE pipes, has limited its usefulness to find non-revenue water losses and optimize CAPEX plans.”

Electro Scan’s 16-city roadshow, includes:

Sept 9-10

  IKT Praxistage „Neubau, Sanierung und Reparatur“ Gelsenkirchen, GERMANY

Sept 13-15

  SAP for Utilities, North American Conference, Huntington Beach, CA

Sept 14

  Water JAM, Virginia Beach, VA

Sept 22-23

  Water Innovation Summit, Claremont Hotel, Berkeley, CA

Sept 23-25

  Iowa League of Cities, Cedar Rapids, IA

Sept 26-30

  WEFTEC, McCormick Place, Booth #2804, Chicago, IL

Oct 11-14

  AMWA Executive Management Conference, Hilton DeSoto Hotel, Savannah, GA

Oct 13-16

  AWWA Water Infrastructure Conference, Bethesda, MD

Oct 20

  UKSTT Road Show, Holiday Inn, Bristol, England

Oct 22

  Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association, Vail, CO

Oct 26-29

  AWWA Calif-Nevada Annual Conference, Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Nov 6

  American Leak Detection Annual Meeting, Palmer House, Chicago, IL

Nov 11-13

  California Water Association, Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA

Nov 17-19

  Trenchless Technology Roadshow, Richmond, BC, CANADA

Dec 4

  Hawaii Water Environment Association, Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu, HI

Dec 8-9

  North American Water Loss Conference, Georgia Convention Center, Atlanta, GA

Electro Scan has been named Best CleanTech Company (The New Economy), Best Innovative Technology (Water Environment Federation), Innovative Product Award (North American Society for Trenchless Technology) and Best Project (UK Society of Trenchless Technology).

While equipment is not available for purchase, the new technology is available as a professional service offered directly by the Company.

About Electro Scan
The privately-held Company designs advanced instrumentation, mobile, and cloud computing applications that automatically locates, measures, and reports defects in water, sewer, and gas pipelines.

Contacts

Carissa Boudwin, +1 916 779 0660, carissa@electroscan.com

San Francisco Adds Electro Scan Mobile Van for Advanced Pipe Condition Assessment

New Technology Helps Pinpoint Leaks and Increase Reuse of Reclaimed Wastewater

SACRAMENTO, Calif.– (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electro Scan Inc. announced today that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has placed an order for a Sewer Leak Detection Van to help locate and measure defects that allow infiltration into its wastewater collection system.

Electro Scan New Customer: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a leader in using green technologies to manage its water resources, waste recovery, and water reuse; however, it faces the same challenge as other global communities where coastal salt water seeps into its sewers reducing the ability to fully utilize reclaimed wastewater.

“Our industry’s long term goal is to achieve 100% reuse of our potable water,” states Lewis Harrison, Manager, Wastewater Enterprise, Collection System Division, SFPUC. “But, with global warming, persistent drought, and an already high water table south of Market Street, it is important that we identify and patch unwanted openings into our combined sewer system to minimize salt water intrusion.”

“With Electro Scan, we will have a new technology to find leaks and help reduce salt water entering our system so we can increase the beneficial reuse of our reclaimed wastewater,” explained Harrison.

Electro Scan Services on the Streets of San Francisco

Using its patent pending technology, Electro Scan automatically measures the variation of electrical current that flows through cracks and defects in pipes without relying on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, acoustic sensors, or third party data interpretation.

Results are immediately available in the Company’s award-winning Critical Sewers® cloud application.

“This specialized van identifies defects that are not typically seen by operators using camera based systems,” commented Douglas J. Lipps, P.E., Mechanical Engineer, Engineering Division, SFPUC.

“More importantly, it provides an estimated rate of infiltration in gallons per minute, for each defect and entire pipe, to help prioritize our repairs,” states Lipps.

Electro Scan’s low voltage technology is also the leading method to certify and accept rehabilitation, relining, and repairs for water and sewer pipes which previously relied on Acoustic or CCTV inspection techniques.

“I am delighted to support the resource recovery initiatives at SFPUC and help California achieve its goal for recycled water use,” states Chuck Hansen, Chairman and CEO, Electro Scan.

“New technologies, like Electro Scan, not only find problems that were previously undetected, but often change the way we prioritize rehabilitation and deliver needed benefits, sooner,” explains Hansen.

Each non-rainy day an average of 80 million gallons of wastewater is collected and transported to one of SFPUC’s two treatment plants.

Electro Scan Services on the Streets of San Francisco

When it rains, SFPUC’s wastewater system can collect and treat up to 575 million gallons a day (MGD) through a network of 1,000 miles of pipe.

High salinity or shock loads of sodium chloride adversely affect organic removal at the treatment plant, lowering the efficiency of the treatment process and lowering reusable water levels.

Additionally, high levels of unwanted water in a collection system means higher treatment and transportation costs due to greater pumping and electricity costs, contributing to higher C0₂ emissions.

The Company’s selection is an integral part of SFPUC’s ongoing commitment to pursue cleaner, greener, and smarter strategies to help manage its business.

Earlier this year, Electro Scan was awarded Best Project by the United Kingdom Society for Trenchless Technology. Previous awards include Best CleanTech Company (The New Economy Magazine), Best Technology Innovation (Water Environment Federation), and Best New Product (North American Society of Trenchless Technology).

Available as either a standalone mobile van or added to an existing CCTV truck, Electro Scan is able to assess pipes at the rate of ~50 feet per minute and estimate defect flows in gallons per minute, operated in accordance with ASTM F2550-13.

In March 2015 the Company announced its entry into the water leak detection market to locate and quantify water losses not detected by legacy inspection methods.

About Electro Scan

Electro Scan develops proprietary pipe condition assessment instrumentation and cloud applications that automatically locates, measures, and reports defects in sewer, water, and gas pipelines, not typically found by legacy methods.

Contacts

Electro Scan Inc.
 Carissa Boudwin, +1 916-779-0660 
info@electroscan.com

Cognitive-based ‘Internet of Things’ Solution to Link Enterprise ERPs with Breakthrough Condition Assessment Data

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–June 8, 2015–Electro Scan Inc., a leading provider of leak detection instrumentation and cloud applications for the water, sewer, and gas pipeline industries, today announced a Strategic Alliance with App Orchid Inc., makers of advanced cognitive-based solutions that capture, calibrate, and disseminate collective workforce wisdom across enterprises that can be presented in adaptive, intuitive, gamified applications.

Building a Water & Wastewater Wisdom Managment System

Just like Google has evolved from being a keyword search engine to allowing users to ask simple yet powerful questions, App Orchid allows users across a business enterprise to ask questions and get answers about their operations and critical assets.

Electro Scan’s partnership with App Orchid was announced in conjunction with the AWWA Annual Conference & Exposition, Uniting the World of Water, and the launch of Electro Scan’s next generation low-voltage water leak detection and CriticalH₂O cloud application.

The alliance combines the next generation provider of leak detection solutions for water, sewer, and gas pipelines with the developer of the industry’s first enterprise-wide wisdom management system, capable of amalgamating people, physical assets, and processes to create an industry-specific ontology of ‘wisdom nuggets’ spanning the Internet of Things (IoT).

Many water utilities continue to experience water losses of 20-30% due to leaking infrastructure, while sewer utilities can typically add 20-30% of flow during wet weather events that may cause sewer overflows, flooding, and back-ups. In response, Electro Scan and App Orchid can create innovative strategies by analyzing big data and social media to provide deep insight into a utility’s existing business.

“Enterprise data is no longer confined to corporate databases,” said Chuck Hansen, water industry entrepreneur and Chairman of Electro Scan Inc. “My experience with over a thousand water & sewer agencies tells me that 80% of knowledge is trapped in people’s minds – sometimes written down in maintenance logs, emails, customer service calls, field inspections, presentations, social media, and other captive sources.”

“The identification of critical resources can no longer rely on rigid hyper-optimized data models,” explained Krishna Kumar, CEO and founder of App Orchid Inc. “Grass root tribal knowledge must be combined with traditional systems and ERP solutions using next generation heuristic tools to assess and address critical business resources. Big Data models and their analytics are only as strong as their weakest data source. That’s why subject matter experts, like Chuck Hansen, and more accurate diagnostic tools, like Electro Scan, are an integral part of Smart Cities.”

Prior to founding Electro Scan, Chuck Hansen was founder, Chairman and CEO of Hansen Information Technologies, a leading provider of asset management solutions for water and sewer utilities acquired by Infor Global in 2007.

Prior to founding App Orchid, Krishna Kumar was founder, CEO and CTO of Space-Time Insight, a leading provider of geospatial situational intelligence applications. His current venture, App Orchid, is gaining momentum. At a recent SAP Annual Sapphire conference App Orchid was selected as “SAP HANA Innovation Awards 2015” winner.

About Electro Scan
Electro Scan develops proprietary leak detection instrumentation and cloud applications that automatically locate, measure, and report defect flows in sewer, water, and gas pipelines, not typically found by acoustic or visual methods.

Contacts

Electro Scan Inc.
Carissa Boudwin, +1 916-779-0660
info@electroscan.com

or

Electro Scan (UK) Limited, +44 20 7692 8729
Elektro Scan GmbH, +49 69 6655 4132
Electro Scan Australia Pty Ltd, +61 3 8609 1246