EU ECO-INNOVATION AWARD FOR SYRINIX LEAK DETECTION
ECOLINK+ sees potential of listening device to cut devastating water loss
A 21st century update on the Victorian listening stick, is set to revolutionise the detection
of leaks in water trunk mains. Syrinix’s technology provides a means to reduce the 3.3
billion litres of treated water lost every day in the UK by making maintenance more costeffective. The company has been recognised with an “Eco-Innovation Award” by
ECOLINK+, an EU initiative to stimulate commercial uptake of clean technology.
Syrinix, a spinout from the University of East Anglia, has developed a technology that
uses vibro–acoustic signals from the water mains pipe and analyses these sounds to
enable leaks to be detected in their early stages and pinpoint their location.
James Dunning, chief executive of Syrinix, explains that a small leak makes a distinctive
sound which changes as it increases in size and severity.
“Control of water loss has been a concern since Roman times and traditionally listening
has been a method of leak detection. The problem is knowing where to listen. Often the
first the water authority knows about a leak is when the main bursts.”
The result can be catastrophic, a recent burst in Accrington meant that hundreds of
schools, homes and businesses were without water for more than 48 hours and 30
network engineers worked in shifts for 72 hours to fix the problem. Thousands of litres of
water can be lost, devastating surrounding properties.
The Syrinix system, called TrunkMinder, can provide early warning of the leak and its
location. This will enable targeted maintenance to extend the life of the network. This is
extremely cost effective, it has been estimated for the Athens water supply system, for
example, that the cost of replacing the water supply main is five hundred times greater
than its preventative maintenance cost.
TrunkMinder analyses information from sensors located along the pipeline. It is able to
identify the signals created by leaking water and monitor these over time creating a body
of intelligence about the health of the network. Although £7.5bn has been invested in
infrastructure improvement in the UK over the last ten years, leakage has increased.
With TrunkMinder it would be possible to plan and prioritise future maintenance and
make it more effective.
Judges at the ECOLINK+ Trans-Regional Event, held at the St John’s Innovation Centre,
Cambridge nominated Syrinix as an EU Top 100 business.
David Moir, Project manager for ECOLINK+, was impressed with the originality and
business potential of the technology.
He says: “We now have drought warnings in the East of England and yet every day,
water treated at great expense is being lost to the system. Syrinix technology offers an
opportunity to reduce this waste and also to extract greater knowledge of the
infrastructure to improve its management and maintenance.”
Other UK companies highlighted by ECOLINK+ as having eco-innovative solutions
include Bio Group which creates renewable energy from organic waste and Enval, which
allows the recovery of aluminum from laminated packaging waste.
- ENDS Company Information:
Press Information:
Syrinix Ltd
James Dunning
Holdsworth Associates
Rebecca Nesbit or Rachel Holdsworth
james.dunning@syrinix.com
01473 287555
rebecca@holdsworth-associates.co.uk
01954 202789
www.syrinix.com
www.holdsworth-associates.co.uk
Notes for editors
Syrinix
Syrinix is a British company that is a leader in developing smart pipeline monitoring
technology. Its products are building a growing reputation among water companies,
infrastructure managers, major water‐ consuming businesses and industry regulators for
their ability to improve the management of water pipelines.
By monitoring with Syrinix;
 Pipe networks can be managed better with asset life extended.
 Water losses, and the resulting environmental damage, can be substantially
reduced.
 Data critical to compliance and regulatory submissions can be easily gathered.
 Cost increases from emergency responses and rising insurance premia can be cut.
 Preventative, and often unnecessary, pipeline maintenance and repair costs can be
reduced.
Syrinix was awarded the “Best Cleantech Investment 2011” in the BBAA Awards 2011 http://www.syrinix.com/news/7-7-11.php
ECOLINK
The ECOLINK workshop was funded by the European Commission and hosted by St
John’s Innovation Centre and two French incubators BIC Provence and BIC Le Havre.
Other companies presenting included:
Cambridge Nanotherm - production of high thermal performance printed circuit boards
(PCBs) using newly developed nanoceramic films that are twice as thermally efficient as
the best current PCB insulating materials.
Enval Ltd - developers of a patented process and equipment for reclaiming aluminium
from flexible plastic/aluminium laminated packaging (e.g. toothpaste tubes, pet food and
fruit juice pouches) and converts this waste into valuable oils and gases and clean
aluminium ready for recycling.
Energy Reducing Products - development and supply of retro-fitted smart, energy-saving
products, used with commonly found commercial and domestic appliances in office, light
industrial and domestic environments.
Syrinix - detection of leaks in water trunk mains.
Bio Group - production of biomethane from anaerobic digestion of commercial food
waste.
Green Energy Options - engaging end-users in managing and reducing their energy
consumption in the home and influencing their overall awareness of their carbon/energy
footprint.
Genes’ Ink - new materials for production of PCBs – using non-polluting, lower energy
use materials in an ink jet printing cold process.
Encapsulix - early stage process solution provider aimed at increasing lifetime of
photovoltaics, OLED lighting, etc.
SP3H - an optical fuel quality sensor that reduces fuel consumption, pollutants and CO2
emissions.
Solaire 2G - producers of hybrid solar panel combining photovoltaics and thermal
conversion