Jonathan Gunn serves as a market manager on the Johnson Controls Water Services team and has 12 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University and a master's degree in business from the University of Rochester. Jon currently serves as chair of the AWWA Customer Metering Practices Committee and chair of the AWWA C712 subcommittee. Jon is also a member of the AWWA Water Loss Control committee and serves as a co-author for the AWWA M6, M22, and M36 manuals.

It is no secret that both apparent and real losses are issues that every utility must deal with on a daily basis. Utilities across the country spend a large amount of money each year to update their distribution systems by replacing old and inaccurate meters in their system and also responding to the seemingly endless need for leak mitigation in their distribution system by replacing old piping. What is the value difference between replacing old meters and replacing outdated piping? Is it wise to focus on one vs. the other or should both be considered equally? Can the benefits of either measure over the lifetime of the product help to subsidize the other?

Water meters are the “cash register” of the utility as they literally measure the customer consumption which is eventually monetized into a revenue stream for the utility. The slightest percentage of inaccuracy with regard to a particular large consumption meter or group of meters can result in huge monetary losses for the utility. Any apparent losses due to meter inaccuracy are lost at the retail rate which is often many times higher than the unit cost of production.

Leaks in the distribution system often equate to a much greater amount of non-revenue water than meters do with regard to system consumption. However, the cost of these real losses are often much less as the water never makes it to the end user and is thus only as costly to the utility as the treatment process to provide it. This water is treated, pumped into the system, lost at some point in the system through a leak, and eventually it makes its way back into a utility well or pump station to begin the process anew.

This presentation will provide real-world examples from water utilities in the United States who have taken a holistic approach to water loss by addressing both real and apparent water loss.  The results of their efforts in terms of both volume and dollars will be revealed so that other water utilities may make an informed decision.