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The Water ​Network ​research team ​has consolidated ​an answer to ​the above ​question.  ​
Further input ​from members is ​welcome and ​appreciated. ​   


Water loss is water that never reaches the customer. Water loss has impact on profitability and water quality.

Water loss greatly affects operational costs and treatment.

Non-revenue water is the water that is lost before it reaches the customer. Losses can be real or apparent.

Water Loss

Physical Loss (Real Loss)

Commercial Loss (Apparent Loss)

Pipe breaks and leaks

Metering errors

Storage overflows

Water theft

House connection leaks

Billing anomalies

 

· Apparent losses are non-physical losses in utility operations due to meter inaccuracies, data handling errors in billing and unauthorized consumption.

This is water that is consumed but not properly measured, accounted or paid for.

· Real losses are physical losses such as leakage and storage overflows.

This water never reaches the consumer , but it inflates the water bill since this water is treated but unused.

 

According to the World Bank, in most developed countries there are no or insignificant water losses, but in developing countries it is estimated that, for example, illegal connections are about 40% of non-revenue water.

Validating water audits requires testing the production water meters and testing a random sample of customer meters, excluding the system errors in billing and eliminating illegal connections.

 

Non-revenue water (NRW) includes authorized unbilled consumption (such are water use by firefighters and religious institutions).

Non-revenue water is the difference between the volume of water delivered in a network and billed authorized consumption.

Unaccounted-for water (UFW) excludes authorized unbilled consumption.

Unaccounted-for water is the difference between the volume of water delivered in a network and legitimate consumption, both metered and unmetered.

 

System Input Volume

Authorised Consumption

Billed Authorised Consumption

Billed Metered Consumption

Revenue Water

Billed Unmetered Consumption

Unbilled Authorised Consumption

Unbilled Metered Consumption

Non-revenue Water

Unbilled Unmetered Consumption

Water Losses

Apparent Losses

Unathorised Consumption

Metering Inaccuracies

Real Losses

Leakage on Transmissions and Distribution Mains

Leakage and Overflows at Utility Storage Tanks

Leakage on Service Connections


Read more about water losses in our article - here. 


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