Smartvatten identified a persistent, unusually high flow at one station in a customer's utility network, while the downstream station showed no matching increase. Since the expected downstream effect was missing, the data pointed to an internal fault rather than actual customer demand.
Comparing flow patterns between the two stations revealed that water was recirculating instead of moving through the system as intended. Further investigation confirmed a faulty back valve was causing the same water to circulate continuously over an extended period, increasing pumping activity without delivering any real operational value.
Once the valve was repaired, the impact was immediate: flow dropped from 21 m³/h to 4.75 m³/h, confirming the valve malfunction as the cause. The repair also led to a significant reduction in pumping-related energy consumption.
This case shows how comparing measurements across a network can uncover hidden faults that would otherwise go undetected. With the right data in place, utilities can act faster, improve system performance, and reduce avoidable operating costs.
