Flow monitoring without a hitch

AWWA Webinar

How the City of Clarksville reduced real water loss without shutting down live water mains.

Reducing real water loss is a growing challenge for utilities with infrastructure that’s aging, expanding and under increased regulatory scrutiny. But smarter flow monitoring offers a practical path forward. In this on-demand AWWA webinar, leaders from the City of Clarksville, Rye Engineering, and Flow-Tronic share how Clarksville used a DMA-based strategy to reduce real water loss without shutting down live water mains.

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Why water loss requires better data

Across the U.S., utilities are under pressure to reduce non-revenue water while maintaining reliable service. Traditional, reactive leak detection methods often leave teams responding after losses have happened.

Smarter monitoring enables utilities to move from reactive response to proactive system management.

On this webinar, you’ll hear from Chris Lambert, Water Operations Manager for the City of Clarksville, and Randall Hogan, Water Loss Mitigation Coordinator for the City of Clarksville, alongside Seth Rye, Owner and Lead Engineer at RYE Engineering, and Vincent Favre, North American Manager at Flow-Tronic.

Together, they walk through how Clarksville approached real water loss reduction, including how DMA-based monitoring improves visibility into system performance, why installing meters under pressure removes a major barrier to adoption, how flow data was applied to reduce real water loss, and practical lessons utilities can apply to their own systems.

Case Study

Clarksville results at a glance

Clarksville operates a large and rapidly growing water system serving approximately 250,000 people across more than 1,200 miles of distribution lines. Prior to this project, leak detection relied heavily on resident complaints and manual methods, limiting visibility and slowing response.

By implementing a DMA strategy supported by flow monitoring, Clarksville achieved measurable improvements:

Reduced real water loss in the Rossview zone from 32.8% to 7.6%
Results achieved in under four years
Expanded monitoring with 24 additional flowmeters following early results
Faster leak detection and reduced reliance on public complaints
Improved crew efficiency and system reliability

This approach established a scalable framework for ongoing water loss reduction.

FAQs from the Clarksville project

How disruptive is installing flowmeters in an active water system?

In Clarksville’s case, flowmeters were installed live under pressure using hot tap installation. This approach allowed the utility to deploy meters without shutting down water mains or interrupting water distribution. As a result, Clarksville was able to add monitoring capability without service disruptions to customers.

Why did Clarksville start with DMAs instead of system-wide metering?

Clarksville began by subdividing its pressure zones into smaller district metered areas, starting with the Rossview zone. Rossview had the highest documented real water loss at 32.8% and presented unique challenges due to industrial demand and PVC piping. By starting with DMAs in the highest-loss zone, the utility was able to focus monitoring efforts, gain visibility more quickly, and scale the approach over time.

How does flow data change leak detection compared to traditional methods?

Before deploying flowmeters, Clarksville relied heavily on resident complaints and manual acoustic devices to locate leaks. This reactive approach often required significant time to find leak sources. With zone-level flow data, staff were able to narrow down leak locations more quickly and detect subsurface leaks before they were reported by the public, improving response time and efficiency.

How does this integrate with existing systems like SCADA or GIS?

The flowmeters used in Clarksville communicate using open protocol, allowing data to flow directly into the utility’s existing SCADA system. Staff combine flow data with GIS information and maintenance logs to monitor system performance and investigate anomalies. This approach allowed Clarksville to build on existing workflows rather than introduce a new monitoring platform.

What does success look like after implementation?

In the Rossview zone, Clarksville reduced real water loss from 32.8% to 7.6% in under four years. The utility also reported faster leak detection, reduced reliance on public complaints, and improved crew efficiency. Following these results, Clarksville expanded the program by installing additional flowmeters across other pressure zones and continues to scale its water loss reduction efforts.

Key Takeaways

Real water loss often remains hidden without accurate, zone-level flow data

DMAs improve visibility and help utilities prioritize resources more effectively

Installing meters under pressure avoids service interruptions and accelerates deployment

Flow data is most valuable when integrated with SCADA, GIS and maintenance workflows

Successful water loss programs require internal ownership and ongoing operational follow-through, not just technology.

See for yourself

Reduce water loss with Flow-Tronic

Flow-Tronic provides flow measurement solutions designed for live, operating water systems. Its technology supports installation under pressure, delivers reliable performance at low flow rates, and integrates easily with existing infrastructure.

By enabling accurate flow data without shutting down mains, Flow-Tronic helps utilities make smarter decisions while minimizing disruption to customers.