The Leak Detective: Pressure Pipe Inspection Co. (Mississauga, Ontario – Canada)

We turn on the tap and water flows. Little do we know that most of the municipal plumbing that carries our water and wastewater was installed just after World War II. More than a half century later that plumbing is nearing, or has reached, the end of its life. It's estimated that many urban and rural water systems lose 20 per cent or more of the water they produce because of leaky pipe infrastructure. Wastewater, meanwhile, contaminates the environment because of leaky sewers. Rehabilitating this aging infrastructure will require hundreds of billions of dollars in investment over the next two decades. Some estimates peg the bill at more than $1 trillion (U.S.) in North America alone.

The problem is that public and private utilities, faced with scarce public resources, rising construction costs and a crunch on credit, will have a challenge footing that bill unless they invest wisely and with precision. This is where 11-year-old Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) plays a crucial role. The Canadian company, based in Mississauga, Ontario, uses patented technologies to identify and inspect aging water infrastructure. This gives water and wastewater utilities the ability to better assess the condition of their pipeline network, pinpoint problems, and calculate water losses. Armed with this knowledge, risk becomes more manageable. Utilities can prioritize repairs and spending on rehabilitation projects, making sure catastrophic failures are averted and water losses are kept to a minimum. By investing only where needed, unnecessary spending is avoided and major capital expenditures can be deferred.

PPIC's technology is most valuable where long-distance pipelines reach water-scare areas, such as the U.S. south-west, Mexico, Mediterranean, Middle East and parts of India and China. Services include use of the "Sahara" acoustic leak sensor, which can be inserted into in-service pipes of any material to detect even the smallest leaks. The condition assessment of large-diameter pre-stressed concrete pipes is performed by an additional technology that emits electromagnetic waves and analyses the returning signal to detect any distressed wires - wires which could lead to a sudden burst of the pipe.

PPIC, which has offices in Phoenix, Dallas, and North Carolina, and just recently opened a subsidiary in Mexico, has clearly become a leader in its field. The company recently announced the closing of its first venture capital round. The financing was provided by Emerald Technology Ventures. Emerald's Peter Crombie and Scott MacDonald have joined PPIC's board of directors in connection with the financing.

Visit: www.ppic.com