Research and Development

Monitoring Water Flow

Monitoring Water Flow
Simple water monitors offer valuable data on how heavily houses are used and can help detect leaks.

Solution:

Experience has shown that the success of the Housing For Health survey/fix program can be measured directly by measurement of total water consumption into the community during the survey/fix program.

Simple water loggers give Healthabitat data to ensure the HfH program worked.

Monitoring Water Flow

HLPs Targeted:

This R&D project focuses on;

  • Healthy Living Practice 1 – Washing People
  • Healthy Living Practice 2 – Washing clothes and bedding
  • Healthy Living Practice 3 – Removing waste water safely
  • Healthy Living Practice 4 – Improving nutrition, the ability to store prepare and cook food
  • Healthy Living Practice 7- Reducing the health impacts of dust
  • Healthy Living Practice 8 – Controlling the temperature of the living environment
Learn More
Monitoring Water Flow

Age Groups Affected:

This project effects the living environment of all age groups.

Project Details Logging of water use

  • Introduction
  • The Problem
  • The Solution
  • Trial projects
  • Where to next?
  • From Housing for Health - the Guide

Introduction

Experience in Housing for Health survey fix programs conducted by Healthabitat (HH) over the last 12 years have shown that housing and infrastructure are closely linked and the quality and performance of one affects parameters of the other. A strong measure of success of housing and infrastructure projects can be measured in the reduction in the consumption of resources and consequently a reduction in use of the resources.

Experience has also shown that the success of the Housing For Health survey/fix program can be measured directly by measurement of total water consumption into the community during the survey/fix program.

Identifying Poor Environments

In many rural and regional communities, it is difficult to guarantee a reliable supply of water. Housing and infrastructure are closely linked and the quality and performance of one affects parameters of the other.

Designing for Better Health

The project involved installing a simple data logging system to capture and record flow rated to the community before during and after the Housing for Health Survey Fix.

The Problem

An adequate supply of water is a key resource for ensuring good health and at least six Healthy Living Practices depend directly on a reliable supply of water. However, in many rural and regional communities, it is difficult to guarantee a reliable supply of water and strategies to reduce water use need to be incorporated in every aspect of community, house and yard design. In some communities, strategies will also be required to supply potable water to the kitchen.

The Solution

Install a simple data logging system that will capture and record flow rated to the community before during and after the Housing for Health Survey Fix. Collect the data remotely by telemetry and assess the effectiveness of the Housing for Health survey fix program with the measurement of reduced water flow from leaks due to replacement of house hardware.

The project will provide real time responses to interventions in the field by survey fix teams and trades teams working on water fixtures in the houses. The data logging system can also identify infrastructure leaks that can be repaired through the Housing for Health project or future supplementary programs.

Trial projects

Purpose built data logging equipment was installed adjacent to an existing water meter on the community water distribution system on Mer Island, Torres Strait, a scheduled Housing For Health site. The system included a compatible pulse reader, a battery powered data storage interface and a 3G wireless modem. Data was sent daily to a remote server located in Sydney and then on to a second remote server in Adelaide for analysis.

Outcomes and Recommendations

The data system was recording from 03/03/2010 to 30/6/11. Recording intervals were set at 15 minutes to provide sufficient definition for flow analysis without overburdening the system with superfluous data.

The data system has been able to identify water delivery procedures showing daily periods when water is turned off, to conserve reserves of water and then the subsequent peak flows, recorded as appliances and fittings such as toilet cisterns refill after the water has been turned on again. The system identified baseline flows recorded overnight when normal use is usually low, which indicated leaks in the distribution system, house reticulation and house hardware. The system identified a clear trend of reduced water consumption over the duration of the Housing For Health Survey Fix program at Mer.

Over the period of this project, water management – by monitoring water flow – was used for infrastructure management, maintenance, and to identify when and where repairs were necessary.

Where to next?

For information for architects, designers, students, communities, housing managers go to :

Healthabitat website

Housing for Health the guide

From Housing for Health - the Guide

An adequate supply of water is a key resource for ensuring good health and at least six Healthy Living Practices depend directly on a reliable supply of water. However, in many rural and regional communities, it is difficult to guarantee a reliable supply of water and strategies to reduce water use need to be incorporated in every aspect of community, house and yard design. In some communities, strategies will also be required to supply potable water to the kitchen (see B4.1 Quality of drinking water).

Menu
Menu