“We are the UKs only canine assisted water leak detection team offering both proactive and reactive services. We help water companies identify problems quickly with minimal intrusions. In a recent experience with Scottish Water, water detection dog Denzel gave a positive identification which was then confirmed and addressed by the company This repair will save them a whopping £365,000 per year.” -- Luke Jones, Managing Director, Cape SPC

WATERTODAY reached out to Team Canine and Scottish Water’s Natalie Mason for an update on Kilo, Denzel, Mylo, and Tico’s work in detecting the scent of treated water.

By Suzanne Forcese

Tackling underground leaks from thousands of miles of mains pipes costs ScottishWater millions of pounds a year. Problem leakage in Scotland is currently running about five hundred million litres a day. Ten years ago, it was a thousand million litres a day. Approximately 8 million pounds is spent per annum finding fixing leaks that don't come to the surface.

Scottish Water is working with Cape SPC, a company based near Warrington, England, who provide the service and own the dogs.

Springer Spaniels Kilo and Denzel; Cocker Spaniel Mylo; and Tico, a Labrador Cocker Spaniel cross have been trained by ex-military dog handlers to detect the smell of chlorine in treated water

“Our water leak detection service is built around our highly trained detection dogs. Working closely with a range of water companies nationwide, we’re helping them enhance the way leaks are identified across their networks in all kinds of on-site locations,” Luke Jones said. “Just by being trained to detect leaks by scent, our dogs provide a non-invasive solution that’s quick, versatile and extremely accurate.”

Scottish Water’s Natalie Mason confirmed the excellent olfactory work of Team Canine.

“Over the past 12 months, the team at Cape SPC has successfully swept over 111 kilometers of trunk mains. This extensive effort has taken between 30 to 40 working days to complete, showcasing the team's dedication and efficiency. The team has been active in 14 different areas across Scotland, and their work has yielded between 1 to 2 megaliters per day (MLD).”

Traditional water leak detection technology is being enhanced by the sniffer dogs who have been trained to detect the smell of chlorine in treated water.

“The sniffer dogs continue to be an invaluable asset in our toolkit,” Natalie Mason adds. “A recent standout success was a major find in North Lanarkshire, where a leak was detected on a 42-inch precast concrete trunk main. Although the repair is still pending, it's scheduled for mid-July. Due to the complexity of the location, particularly the overhead power cables, detailed planning has been essential.

We are proud of the progress made and the continued innovation this work represents.”

“We really enjoy this work with Scottish Water, and we hope that the dogs can be used to help locate leaks in more parts of the rural network going forward,” Jones said.

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DOGS PINPOINTING WATER LEAKS

Milo and Kilo detect water leaks