Interview

First satellite leak detection, and now cosmic rays. To detect water leaks in the systems, Hera again turns to “space” technology, already used in the probe that circles around the red planet to detect water on Mars.
Cosmic rays are explained to us by Maurizia Brunetti, Manager of Mains Water Coordination at Hera Spa: “These are harmless particles, neutrons, that come from space and to which our planet is continually exposed. They also interact with hydrogen, which slows down their movement. Since the water molecule is composed of hydrogen in two atoms out of three, whenthe neutrons meet the water, they are blocked and in some way hindered in their free movement. Detection of these anomalies in neutron behaviour indicates a water leak”.

Compared with other technologies used, what are the biggest benefits that this brings to leak detection?
It surely allows us to check a much greater number of networks than traditional methods, precisely because it can travel on any mobile transport it is assembled on,” concludes Maurizia Brunetti. “Considering that in Emilia-Romagna, we have a water supply network of 27,000 kilometres, if the results should prove really positive, that would certainly be a significant step forward.
We are currently trialling it on the 200 kilometres of the network in the Bologna region: we still need to implement a calibration stage but in the next few months, the survey area will be extended to over one thousand kilometres.
Detection of leaks with this technology could allow us to intervene and repair them more quickly and, as a result, to salvage important quantities of water in a sector such as water services which is increasingly subject to climate change.