New Orleans Selects Echologics Engineering Inc. for Pipe Assessment Project

The City of New Orleans has selected Echologics Engineering Inc., a leader in water infrastructure diagnostic technologies, to oversee its water loss management and water pipe integrity assessment initiative. This initiative includes leak detection, pipe condition assessment, and water meter calibration and maintenance.

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) selected Echologics following a competitive bid process for the one-year contract, which is renewable for a second year. Echologics is a subsidiary of Mueller Water Products Inc. (NYSE:MWA), a leading manufacturer and marketer of products and services that are used in the transmission and distribution of safe, clean drinking water and in water treatment facilities. Echologics leverages the strength of the Mueller brand in delivering intelligent solutions for water infrastructure.

Echologics’ core technology uses a proprietary acoustic-based leak detection system to assess the structural condition of selected water pipes, which is especially helpful as North America confronts the challenges of repairing or replacing its aging water infrastructure. The technology was developed jointly with the National Research Council of Canada. Echologics will help New Orleans prioritize water pipes that require rehabilitation or replacement.

During a pilot project, Echologics located water main leaks that were causing between 75,000 and 100,000 gallons per day of water loss. This water loss is equivalent to filling one Olympic-size swimming pool every six days.

“Municipalities faced with the increasing need to repair or replace their aging water infrastructure need tools and technology to help them prioritize this vital initiative,” said Marc Bracken, vice president and general manager of Echologics. “We are committed to helping New Orleans find leakage in the distribution water pipes, while at the same time assessing structural condition of the pipe to ensure that the city’s residents have access to clean drinking water.”