In HelloNation, Non-Revenue Water in Aging New England Systems Examined by Utility Technology Expert Marty Mazzella of Sudbury

A new HelloNation article outlines practical strategies for water utilities to identify and reduce water loss in older distribution systems.

SUDBURY, Mass., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- How can water utilities in New England identify and reduce non-revenue water before it quietly drains their operating budgets for years at a time? A HelloNation article takes on that question directly and offers utility managers a practical framework for understanding where losses come from and how to catch them early.

The HelloNation article explains that non-revenue water refers to any water that is treated and pumped into a distribution system but never billed to a customer. The gap between what a system produces and what it collects revenue for can persist for years without anyone identifying the full scope of the loss. The article notes that the problem is especially common in New England, where many distribution systems were built decades ago and are now showing significant signs of age.

The article describes three broad categories that contribute to non-revenue water. Real losses, which include leaks in mains, service lines, and storage facilities, tend to be the largest contributor in aging systems and the most difficult to identify without intentional monitoring. Apparent losses cover meter inaccuracies and unauthorized consumption. Unbilled authorized consumption includes legitimate system activities such as firefighting and main flushing that are never charged to an account. In older New England systems, real losses are where the article focuses the most attention.

The HelloNation article outlines how utilities calculate non-revenue water through a water balance, measuring total system input over a set period and subtracting total billed volume. The article notes that most industry guidance treats a non-revenue water rate above ten percent as a signal that further investigation is needed, and that many older systems in the region are already well above that threshold.

Utility Technology Experts understand the value of proactive monitoring, and the article details several practical approaches. Elevated minimum night flow is described as one of the most reliable early warning signs. Between midnight and four in the morning, customer demand is at its lowest, and any flow that exceeds what legitimate overnight use can explain is likely escaping through a leak somewhere in the network. Tracking those overnight flow levels consistently and comparing them against historical baselines gives a utility an early signal before any visible damage occurs.

The article also describes how zone-level data helps utilities narrow down where losses are developing. When a distribution network is divided into district metered areas and consumption trends are tracked at that scale, unexplained increases in a specific zone often point to a developing problem in that area. Utility Technology Experts recognize that in systems where pipe materials range from cast iron to early plastic, those anomalies can appear weeks or months before a leak surfaces or triggers a customer complaint.

Customer-level meter data adds another layer of visibility, the article notes. Comparing a customer's current usage to their own historical patterns can reveal aging meters that are under-registering due to wear, contributing to apparent losses without any visible field problem. The article concludes that utilities willing to investigate anomalies early rather than explaining them away tend to experience fewer major failures and more predictable operating costs over time.

How to Reduce Non-Revenue Water in Older New England Distribution Systems features insights from Marty Mazzella, Utility Technology Expert of Sudbury, Massachusetts, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content with storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven, good-news articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

SOURCE HelloNation