FeedsWater leak study gets OK
Water loss from the distribution system that serves Inkster is costing residents too much money, and officials are now hoping a new study will identify where the leaks are.
Tucker, Young, Jackson & Tull, a civil engineering and consulting firm in Detroit, was hired by the city to conduct a water loss study to locate underground leaks in water mains. Those losses create unaccounted for water that does not produce revenue for the city.
The loss of those funds is often passed on to consumers in the form of higher rates to make up for shortfalls in the fund designated to maintain the system, said Archer Collins, the director of the Inkster Department of Public Service.
“A city should do this kind of study at least once a decade, especially if there’s an indication that there’s an unacceptable loss,” he said. “A normal loss means is anywhere from 9 to 12 percent. The data seems to indicate we’re losing anywhere from 20 to 25 percent.”
The level of water usage determines data that indicates a loss for a community versus the amount that is billed. When those two factors have a high percentage of disparity, it can result in inaccurate account billings for residents and businesses, which consume the strained resources of the city to straighten out, Collins said.
Field testing, leak detection exercises, commercial and residential meter analysis will be performed the consulting firm. The testing will begin next month, and should conclude sometime early in 2007, Collins said. A final audit report will be given at a public meeting once the testing is completed.
Residents saw rates increased in the 2005-06 fiscal year by about 7 percent, or about $28 more per year for the average homeowner. Rate increases in Detroit – which sells water to 47 Wayne County communities – are mostly responsible for that increase. Residential meter testing will be conducted to make sure customers were billed correctly, Collins said.
“They will take residential meters randomly and test them to see if the measurements are proper,” he said. “If they are measuring properly, there will be no change. We’ll have to wait for the findings before we take the next step.”
Tucker, Young, Jackson & Tull was the lowest of five bidders for the study, and will charge the city $57,146 plus a 15 percent contingency fee to complete the analysis. The cost for the project should not exceed $65,718, according to estimates provided by department of public works officials.
