Recently, the 29th Business Creativity Awards competition was held at the Private University of Applied Sciences. Among the winners is Veolia, which achieved Special award for medium-sized enterprises and stood out in the categories Targeted management – social impact (private initiative) and in Public services with his project “He tracer-social impact”, a water leak detection technology using helium gas to detect invisible leaks. Elier González, CEO of Veolia Chile – Peru, spoke to El Comercio about the technology.
What does the project consist of?
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HE-Tracer is a technology that allows accurate and efficient detection of water leaks. We inject helium into the pipes as a tracer gas and when it escapes through the leak it is detected by specialist teams who walk the streets and detect unusual concentrations of the gas. With this method, we make a direct contribution to sustainable development and environmental protection, promote more rational use of water, reduce losses in the network, minimize operating costs and provide more reliable supply to the population.
Elier González, CEO of Veolia Chile – Peru
How did the idea of implementing this technology come about?
We start from some verifiable facts: first, the rise and persistence of global water scarcity as a result of climate change; and second, the need to reduce non-revenue water (ANF). In addition, we have seen that traditional leak detection methods, such as the acoustic method, have limitations in large diameter networks. With HE-Tracer, efficiency exceeds 98%; That is, out of every 100 detected leaks, at least 98 are confirmed by repair teams on the ground.
What was the initial investment?
For Veolia, the initial investment is not the most important factor compared to the benefits of the HE-Tracer service. It is a comprehensive solution built on three pillars: advanced technology, human capital and reliable work methodology.
What is the impact on usage and how much is it costing the end customer?
The impact is multiple. Every liter of potable water recovered through the HE-Tracer Service is a liter that no longer needs to be extracted from nature or made potable, saving energy and chemicals. Also, physical losses from unprofitable water are reduced. An important advantage is that this solution does not require interruption of drinking water service to customers, so the cost or negative impact to the end user is zero. In addition, when supplemented with adequate hydraulic analysis of the network and effective repair of detected leaks, the economic savings associated with withdrawn water far exceed the cost of our services.
Drinking water. (Photo: Andina)
What expansion projects do you have for this technology?
Our expansion strategy is focused on implementing this technology in more EPS in the country, prioritizing areas where loss reduction is most relevant. Given the scenarios of drought, water scarcity and the need to protect drinking water, we have prioritized supporting service providers in early detection of leaks and restoration of flows. Our goal is to make this technology the current standard in the sector.
What message will winning the Business Creativity Awards leave for you?
This fills us with satisfaction and strengthens our commitment to continue contributing to sustainable development with concrete solutions to one of the country’s most important challenges: efficient and sustainable water management. It also highlights the technical potential and talent of our professionals who have successfully implemented world-class technologies, demonstrating that innovation can be developed and consolidated from Peru. This achievement represents another step towards achieving our goal of environmental transformation and advancing our Green Up strategic plan.
