Pressure:Bursts Relationships: Influence of Pipe Materials, Validation of Scheme Results, and Implications of Extended Asset Life

"The proven benefits of pressure management in distribution systems have now moved beyond basic leakage control, as initially promoted in the UK and Japan thirty years ago. Pressure management is now recognised as having a wide range of benefits (Table 1, adapted from Lambert and Fantozzi, 2010; WSAA, 2011).
Six years ago, data showing significant reductions in mains and services bursts from 112 Pressure Management Zones (PMZs) in 12 countries (Thornton & Lambert, 2006; Thornton & Lambert 2007) helped to promote international recognition that burst frequencies on mains and services can be controlled by pressure management.
A conceptual explanation (‘the straw that breaks the camel’s back), coupled with calculation of simple separate Burst Frequency Indices (BFIs) for mains and services, can quickly identify distribution system zones where significant reductions in bursts, on mains and/or service connections, could be expected if surge and or excess operating pressures were reduced. The 2007 prediction equation developed from data in the 112 PMZs was:"