Detecting hidden water losses through automated monitoring

Challenge

With a large and diverse operational footprint, managing water consumption across our sites is essential for both environmental stewardship and cost efficiency. Historically, many sites have relied on manual meter readings, offering only periodic snapshots of usage. This presents a number of challenges when identifying abnormal patterns, pinpointing inefficiencies, or detecting leaks, particularly those occurring below ground with no obvious surface indicators or where meters are located away from site.

At Naunton quarry, daily operations appeared normal and no visible issues were present, but total water usage continued to fluctuate. Without detailed interval data, it was impossible to determine whether these variations were operational or symptomatic of a deeper problem.

Solution

As part of Breedon’s wider adoption of smart monitoring technologies, automated water loggers have been deployed to capture interval data on water consumption. One such logger was installed at Naunton quarry, with continuous monitoring and automated dashboards enabling early detection of irregularities.

Regular reviews of the data supplied by the logger highlighted a persistent increase in baseline consumption, an early warning sign of a leak. The data clearly showed elevated flow rates even when equipment was shut down, prompting the site team to investigate further.

Despite no visible signs of water loss on the surface, a targeted inspection was launched based solely on the logger’s data. The meter for Naunton is situated a mile away from the site and after investigation revealed a significant underground leak close to the meter and hidden within the site’s distribution network, previously undetectable by traditional methods.

Impact

By identifying the leak early, the automated logger prevented substantial water waste and reduced the environmental footprint of operations at Naunton quarry.

Key benefits included:

• Immediate reduction in water consumption once the leak was repaired, returning usage to expected levels
• Cost savings from avoided water loss and reduced operational inefficiencies
• Improved environmental performance, supporting Breedon’s commitments to responsible resource management

This successful detection at Naunton quarry demonstrates the value of continuous monitoring and highlights how digital tools can uncover issues that would otherwise remain hidden for longer periods of time. The automated water logger has become a vital asset in Breedon’s journey toward smarter, more sustainable resource management—one site, and one data point, at a time.