Orange City Council is rolling out an active water leak detection program across its drinking water network, joining one of the largest water efficiency initiatives currently underway in regional New South Wales.
From late February, specialist crews will survey water mains across the Orange local government area using advanced acoustic and monitoring technology to identify hidden leaks and prioritise repairs.
The program is designed to reduce water loss, lower operational costs and strengthen the reliability of local water infrastructure.
Finding leaks before they surface
Water leaks are often invisible at ground level, with significant volumes of treated water lost underground before issues are detected through pressure drops or customer complaints.
The NSW Government’s Active Leak Detection Project uses a combination of noise loggers, electronic listening sticks and ground microphones to pinpoint leaks with high accuracy and produce detailed condition reports on pipes in need of repair.
Specialist contractor LeakTech has been engaged to deliver the surveys in Orange, drawing on experience from similar programs across regional councils.
Part of a state-wide efficiency push
The Orange works form part of the NSW Government’s $35.3 million Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction Program, funded through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.
To date, the program has surveyed more than 27,500 kilometres of water mains, detected over 4,500 leaks and delivered annual water savings of around 9,390 megalitres across participating councils.
Those savings represent both reduced treatment demand and deferred capital pressure, as utilities are able to stretch existing supplies further.
Building long-term water security
Orange City Council Infrastructure Policy Committee Chair Jeff Whitton said early leak detection plays a critical role in protecting local water supplies.
“Protecting our water supply is one of Council’s top priorities, and projects like this give us a clearer picture of where improvements are needed,” Whitton said.
“By finding leaks early, we can save significant amounts of treated water and ensure our network remains reliable for the whole community.”
Whitton said the insights gained through the program will also support better long-term planning and asset management.
Efficiency through data and technology
NSW DCCEEW Manager of Water Efficiency Programs Jethro Laidlaw said active leak detection continues to deliver strong results across the state.
“Through active leak detection, we’ve saved billions of litres of water that would have otherwise gone to waste,” Laidlaw said.
As utilities face increasing climate variability and rising demand, programs like this highlight the growing role of data-driven maintenance and smart monitoring in managing non-revenue water.
What to expect on the ground
LeakTech crews will be surveying Orange’s water network from 22 February 2026, with works expected to take around six weeks to complete.
While the technology is largely non-invasive, residents may notice survey activity near water meters, valves and roadsides as crews collect acoustic data.
Council has encouraged customers to report suspected leaks, helping to complement the technical surveys and improve response times.