Ruidoso Leak Detection Program, Year One

The village of Ruidoso is a small community nestled in the mountains of Lincoln County, New Mexico, with an estimated 326 mi of water distribution lines. In FY 2020, the village produced approximately 622 MG for the year, of which only 316 MG was authorized consumption from the village’s operations and 7,525 active connections. With approximately 52.1% of water being classified as non-revenue, it was evident that there were a substantial number of undetected leaks within the system. Because of this, the village solicited proposals for leak detection services. In December 2021, Wachs Water Services entered a contract with the village of Ruidoso to conduct a system-wide leak detection survey with the primary goals of locating distribution system leaks using conventional leak detection methods and collecting the global position system (GPS) coordinates of each asset. This white paper and subsequent presentation will reveal the many challenges faced by Wachs crews, including undocumented water mains and valves discovered while surveying the system. Furthermore, this paper will reveal the savings to the villager and return on investment for the first year of its 10-year leak detection program.