What is a common impact of leaks in a water distribution system?

Leaks in a water distribution system often lead to higher levels of non-revenue water. Non-revenue water refers to the amount of water that is produced but not billed to customers, which can occur due to leaks, unauthorized consumption, or metering inaccuracies. When leaks are present, a significant portion of the treated water is lost before it reaches consumers, thus increasing the non-revenue water figures.

This situation not only results in economic losses for the water utilities but can also strain the resources and infrastructure as the utility spends additional funds on production and treatment without recovering those costs through customer billing. Inadequate management of leaks may exacerbate these issues, leading to a further accumulation of non-revenue water, thus complicating the overall efficiency and sustainability of the water distribution system. As non-revenue water increases, it reflects the inability to account for and bill the actual water supplied, highlighting a critical area for management attention and improvement.