Consumption temporary density for the detection of water leakages in real-time

Detecting water leakage is a major challenge. Usually, specific meters are used to monitor water consumption. However, conventional meters are not capable of detecting an abnormal consumption such as an eventual leak. Due to the recent advances in technologies and the emergence of the Internet of Things paradigm, a new kind of smart water meter has appeared. These meters provide further options for monitoring water consumption. In this paper, a new water leakage indicator called Water Leakage Indicator based on the Consumption Temporary Density (WLICTD) is presented. The leakage detection process is based on a computation of temporal density for water consumption. WLICTD can distinguish an abnormal consumption, i.e., a leak situation, from a normal daily consumption. The proposed indicator has been evaluated using a set of real water consumption data obtained from a smart meter installed in a university restaurant in France. Results reveal the strength of the proposed indicator, all water leaks situations are detected within a convenient period that allows a reduced timing for proper fixing operations.