District Metered Areas (DMA) are isolated hydraulic sectors of between 10 and 25km of networks. These sectors are monitored online through flow and pressure measurement points, monitoring of the entry of complaints made by users and fieldwork. AySA has technological tools that allow the identification of new non-visible water leaks.
"The DMA are isolated hydraulic sectors, where there is control and measurement of the water delivered in the area, allowing for governance and early detection if there was an increase in flow in the area. The longer a leak that you lose has to live, the more it affects service levels. What we are looking for is to capture the leak early and repair it", explained Cecilia Chantada, Head of the Network Sectorization Department.
Since 2020, based on its results of the pilot test together with other strategies of the "Efficient Management Plan for the distribution of drinking water", the company has been carrying out the DMA sectorization program and the subsequent monitoring of them," explains Chantada.
With these works, the company reinforces its water recovery strategies in coordination with the regional operational areas. Through the sectorization plan, it is expected to detect new leaks in pipes, reducing the duration of the water leaks to 10 days. Currently, AySA continues to move forward with the plan in the following districts: Avellaneda, Lanús, Quilmes, Tigre, San Martín, Morón, Tres de Febrero, La Matanza Norte and La Matanza Sur.
As evidence of the impact of the DMA management, AySA is currently working on the repair of a leak detected within a hydraulic sector in the town of Piñeyro, Avellaneda district. About this operation, Hernán Carreira, technical chief of the Avellaneda District detailed: "When there is an increase in the water delivered, there may be a non-visible leak, therefore, we began to do a field survey verifying the plan, taking pressures and samples to detect if there is a leak that merits that increase in water. Since the implementation of the DMA and permanent monitoring began, we have been warned of different situations that we have been able to solve. Without having that alert, we would not have been able to detect and attack them before it could cause a greater impact on users."
The main objective of the plan is to reduce the percentage of non-revenue water, that is, the water that is lost through leaks. "Losses impact the quality of the service we provide to users, therefore, the repair of losses has greater efficiency in the service and in turn the water that is recovered can be used in other sectors of the network," concluded Cecilia Chantada.