Ing 4 - 01 - 03

UK Water Industry
PRESSURE TESTING OF PRESSURE PIPES AND FITTINGS

FOR USE BY PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIERS

This document has been prepared on behalf of the Water UK Standards Board. Technical queries should be addressed to the Standards Board
c/o The Technical Secretary on E-mail: brian.spark@ntlworld.com . For further copies or technical enquiries please visit http://www.wis-ign.org

Version 1.0 March 2011 Water UK 2011
WATER INDUSTRY
INFORMATION &
GUIDANCE NOTE
IGN 4-01-03
March 2011 : Issue 1
(Page 1 of 30)
ISSN 1353-2529
1 Introduction

One of the primary reasons for justifying the
refurbishment of water distribution and transmission
mains is to replace and renovate pipes that have
been shown to have unsatisfactory leakage levels. It
therefore follows that the new systems should be
demonstrated to be as secure and leak-free as
possible.

In 2000, BS EN 805 was published and for the first
time, there are now specified European criteria for
assessing acceptability for different pipe materials.

BS EN 805 also gives advice on different test
methods that may be used to assess pipelines for
leakage. These methods are not mandatory; it is left
to the Engineer/Client to choose the appropriate
procedure.

A major review of the merits of all the methods
proposed by BS EN 805 has been made and a
summary of the findings is given in Appendix 3.

As a consequence of this review, it has been decided
to adopt one procedure to test all new PE & PVC
pipelines laid in U.K. water systems and another
method for Ductile Iron, Steel & GRP pipelines.

The PE & PVC procedure is simple. It involves
raising pressure in a controlled manner to the
standard test pressure (STP) and allowing the
pressure to decay after isolating the main.

The assessment of allowable leakage follows the
principle of specifying an acceptable limit of the
pressure loss/hr/km. The values of allowable
pressure loss rate for different materials are given in
Table 2. The basis for the choice of these rates is
described in Appendix 3.

For PE and PVC mains, viscoelastic stress relaxation
effects affect the simple linear decay in pressure
since PE pipes will lose pressure without any leakage
being present as the molecular structure relaxes.
These effects dominate the pressure decay until
some 24-36 hours after reaching test pressure.
Therefore, to give an earlier warning that mains are
leaking at an unacceptable level, the analysis for PE
and PVC materials should be modified. The analysis
given here for all plastic pipes is now aligned with
that successfully used for many years in the 1980s
and 90s by the U.K. Water Industry

The DI, Steel & GRP procedure is essentially the
same as that detailed in BS EN 805 and the methods
traditionally conducted on these materials.

The test method specified here is only appropriate
where a test section of the pipeline and associated
fittings can be completely isolated. Where new
pipelines are already installed as part of a working
water system as for example is the case for most
rehabilitation projects, other tests are required.

This IGN applies only to pipes and fittings which form
part of the distribution system that is owned by the
water supplier. Pipes and fittings which are part of
privately-owned distribution or plumbing systems in
premises, and which are supplied with water from the
public supply system, come under the scope of the
Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
(England and Wales), the Scottish Water Supply
Byelaws (2004) or the Northern Ireland Water Fittings
Regulations (2009), which have different
performance requirements.

This IGN provides details beyond that normally
required to successfully complete pressure testing in
the field, but a less detailed Contractors Guide is
provided for that purpose as Appendix A5. This
section may also be used as a summary of the whole
Water UK 201 2 Version 1.0 March 2011
document to gain first understanding of the whole
process before reading further..

This document has been prepared Exova Ltd. in
conjunction with the Water UK Standards Board in
consultation with the Water Industry and
manufacturers.

Information contained in this Information and
Guidance Note is given in good faith. Neither Exova
Ltd., nor Water UK can accept any responsibility for
actions taken by others as a result.

2.0 Allowable Rates of Leakage

BS EN 805 specifies that the allowable leakage
should be calculated by using the common criterion
that a pipe under pressure should not suffer a
pressure loss of greater than 0.2 bar/hr because of
water leakage. For the Pressure Drop test, the
standard requires that this pressure decay be
translated into an acceptable water volume loss by
calculating the change in volume caused by the
pressure drop - using the pipe stiffness to calculate
the diameter change.

BS EN 805 gives a formula to translate this pressure
loss into a water volume loss. The standard gives a
criterion for acceptance which is described in terms
of an allowable pressure loss per hour. The BS EN
805 formula for allowable leakage (v) is:

v = (1.2 * p)* Vp * ((1/Ew) + (SDR/Ep))..
(1)

v = Loss in water due to decrease in pressure
p and Vp = Pipe Volume

Ew = Bulk Modulus of Water and Ep = Pipe
Material Modulus

SDR = standard diameter ratio = D/e = pipe
diameter divided by wall thickness

p = Allowable pressure loss of 0.2 bar/hr,
1.2 = a factor to account for air etc

For materials which do not have stiffness properties
that vary with time and temperature (DI, Steel) it is
simple to calculate the allowable leakage using
known material properties. For plastics materials,
which are inherently more flexible and have modulus
(stiffness) properties that change very significantly
with temperature and time under load there are major
problems.

The lack of commonly agreed values of material
modulus values for plastics, makes it impossible to
define universally agreeable water loss rates. As
discussed in Appendix 3, there is also a strong
implication, whether intended or not, that the lower
modulus materials (e.g. plastics) have a higher
allowable water loss. Obviously, this cannot be
tolerated.

The U.K. water industry wishes to standardize on a
common rate of water volume loss as the
assessment criterion. Therefore, the water volume
changes caused by the 0.2 bar/hr decay rate stated
in BS EN 805 have been adopted as standard
using DI pipe as the yardstick. These volume
changes are sensitive to pipe diameter and using
equation 1, this gives (v) allowable water loss
(litre/hr/km):

v = 0.000018* D
2
...(2)

Where D is the nominal diameter in mm

Values in litres/km/hr for individual nominal pipe
diameters are given in Table 1 below.

Nominal Leakage
Pipe Rate
Diameter
(mm) (litres/km/h)
100 0.18
150 0.41
200 0.72
250 1.13
300 1.62
350 2.21
400 2.88
450 3.65
500 4.50
600 6.48
700 8.82
800 11.52
900 14.58
1000 18.00

Table 1: Standard Allowable Leak Rates (litres/km/hr)
for All Pipes, Based upon BS EN 805 and Equation
2.

2.1 Allowable Pressure Drop Rates for Single
Materials

The corresponding allowable pressure decay rates
which would cause the allowable volume changes for
pipes made from PE, GRP and PVC materials are
given in Table 2 (on page 3). Values of modulii used
are those measured at 10
o
C (ref. 1).

Because small pressure changes applied to the less
stiff pipes cause considerable volume changes, the

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allowable pressure drop rates are always lower for
the lower stiffness systems.

For plastics, creep stress relaxation alone will cause
higher pressure drop rates than those given in table 2
for up to 10 hours with PVC and for at least 36 hours
with PE pipes. This obscures leakage assessment in
simple pressure drop tests and so the analysis for
plastics needs to differ from non-elastic materials
such as DI see Section 7.

Material
Allowable Pressure
Loss (bar/hr)
Ductile Iron 0.240
PE 100 SDR 11 0.036
PE 100 SDR 17 0.019
PE 80 SDR 11 0.029
PE 80 SDR 17 0.015
PVC SDR 17 0.029
PVC SDR 26 0.027
GRP 0.027

Table 2: Allowable Pressure Decay Rates (APDR) for
Different Pipe Materials arising from the allowable
leakage given in Table 1

2.2 Allowable Pressure Drop Rates for Pipelines
with Multiple Materials

Sometimes, pipes of different types may be
accommodated within a system under test. If there
are pipelines with sections of different materials
(A&B), a law of mixtures may be used to obtain the
allowable pressure loss rate (in bar/hr) for the whole
system: The formula for allowable pressure drop (p)
is:

p = L
fA
* (APDR)
A
+ L
fB
*(APDR)
B
...(3)

Where L
fA
and L
fB
are the respective length fractions
of materials A and B.

It would be most unusual to find more than two
materials or a large multiplicity of SDR ratings in a
test length, but if this is the case, the Law of Mixtures
principle expounded in equation 3 may be extended
as necessary.

For small lengths of relatively stiff elastic (metal) pipe
mixed with pipe made from viscoelastic (plastic pipe)
material, it is necessary to check the metal pipe
locally for leaks that are likely to be masked by the
viscoelastic nature of the neighbouring pipe.

3.0 Choice of System Test Pressure (STP)

Historically, different Water Companies have used an
ad hoc range of test pressures. These have usually
resulted as the whim of individuals. Some engineers
have used the mains working pressure as the basis
for the test pressure; some have used the pipe rating.

It is now strongly recommended that all companies
universally follow the guidelines specified in BS EN
805 and establish common levels for the standard
test pressure (STP). This has the benefit of greatly
simplifying data analysis and increasing the ability to
detect leakage which is sensitive to pressure.

The BS EN 805 method for choosing the test
pressure is that STP should be the lowest of:

o 1.5* PN

o PN + 5 bar

- The PN rating of the lowest rated
component in the system should be
used.

- The value of STP should apply at the
lowest elevation of the pipeline and
should therefore include the initial
maximum static head applied (Po).

- The test pressure at the highest
elevation should be at least the
maximum operating pressure. If this is
not possible due to the elevations
involved then the line should be split
prior to testing.

Note: Some companies may prefer to use an STP
value of 1.5* Design Continuous Maximum
Operating Pressure

3.1 Safety Issues

In all hydraulic testing, there are dangers involved
when high pressures are being employed. All
applicable national health and safety regulations
should be taken into account. Specific
hazards/precautions to note are identified below.

- High pressures could involve danger if either
there is an unexpected pipeline failure or an
end cap blows off.

- Only approved staff who are aware of the
risks should be allowed near to any exposed
part of the pipeline when it is under pressure.

- The test area should be cordoned off and a
warning notice erected when the test is in
progress.

- On a long length of main under test, staff
involved in the test should be in radio/mobile
phone contact at all times.

4.0 Choice of Test Section/Length of Pipeline

There is no technical reason to limit the length of
main or diameter being tested. Historically for
example, successful pressure decay tests have been
made on 5km of 1400mm PE pipes.

The choice of the test section and its length is
governed generally by:

fitting density most leaks will occur at
fittings and joints

availability of potable water to pre-charge the
main and also a source for discharge of
water after the test.

elevations on the main to meet the
minimum applied head criterion

the ability to identify the source of any leak
detected. Testing long lengths can make
such identification difficult and on many
occasions numerous re-tests have had to be
made on smaller sections of long mains - to
pinpoint the source of leakage.

The time available in which to obtain a valid
test result

5.0 Mains Testing Set-Up

5.1 General
To carry out a quantifiable assessment of leakage
from either the pipeline or the joints by a pressure
decay test, it is essential that:

(a) The length of main to be tested should be
isolated with end load bearing end fittings with
sealed plates. End fittings should have pressure
ratings at least 1.5* STP. For higher test
pressures such fittings will of necessity be
specialist re-useable items.

(b) Simple closed valves or squeeze-off seals (for
PE) should NOT be used to hold the water. It is
highly likely that leakage may occur past the
internal valve seals or through any gap at a
squeeze-off.

(c) Any service connections should not be tapped
prior to pressure testing.

(d) Wherever possible, all joints made to the
pipeline should be in open trenches visible for
direct visual inspection.

(e) The main pipeline should have been backfilled
and compacted prior to the test. This prevents
any axial movement which could distort data
analysis.

(f) Air valves should be located at all high points to
facilitate the removal of air during charging of
the main. Air valves should not be isolated
during the test. The air valve connection is a
potential source of leakage.

5.2 End Loads

Where socket and spigot joints have been used (e.g.
for PVC, DI and GRP mains) sufficient thrust blocks
or other anchorages should be in position and any
concrete used should have been adequately cured.

The ends of the pipeline should be securely
anchored and any temporary strutting should be
properly designed.

It is the responsibility of the site engineer to ensure
that all end fittings can safely withstand the end
forces generated by high test pressures.

These forces can be very high and examples of the
end loads on PE SDR 11 and 17 pipes raised to a
test pressure of 15 bar are given in Table 3 below.
The forces given should be multiplied pro rata for
other pressures.

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It is essential that the end fittings themselves are
watertight.

End fittings or struts installed to resist pressure
forces should not be removed until all applied
pressure has been removed from the main.

Diameter (mm) SDR
End Force
(tonnes)
SDR
End Force
(tonnes)
90 17 0.7 11 0.9
180 17 3.0 11 4.0
250 17 5.7 11 7.6
315 17 9.1 11 12.1
400 17 14.7 11 19.5
500 17 22.9 11 30.4
610 17 34.1 11 45.3
720 17 47.6 11 63.3
800 17 58.7 11 78.0
1000 17 91.7 11 121.9

Table 3: Examples of End Forces Generated by 15
bar Pressure on PE Pipes to illustrate the level of
danger
(note that this varies with pressure and type of
material)

5.3 Test Fixtures

- Fixed jumper hydrants or ferrules should be
installed at the lowest point of the main to
facilitate charging and pumping of the water
and its subsequent removal after the test is
completed.

- Consideration may be given to use of a
duckfoot hydrant bend as a temporary
measure to allow easier removal of swabs
used to scour air from the system.

- There should be a secure connection on the
stop end at the highest point to allow air and
water to be vented.

- Any air vent should be located as close to
the top of the pipe as possible.

5.4 Instrumentation

- A calibrated pressure gauge or a calibrated
transducer connected to a datalogger should
be mounted on a standpipe at the lower
elevation end.
- A calibrated flow meter should be attached to
measure the volume of water added during
the pressure rise phase again this may be
connected to a datalogger.

- The flow meter range should be chosen in
the knowledge of the likely inputs needed to
raise pressure to STP using Tables A1.1-6
in Appendix 1 as guidance of the volumes of
water needed.

- Pressure sensors should have non linearity
better than +/- 0.2% with no temperature
sensitivity between -5
o
C and 50
o
C. The
gauge/transducer should have a resolution to
0.01 bar or better.

5.5 Ancillary Data

The following ancillary data should be recorded:

- The elevations of both ends of the test
section should be recorded and the
measured static head at the lowest elevation
should be determined and recorded when
the valve at the highest elevation is open.

- The start and end times and the date of the
test should be recorded.

- All details of the pipe (material, length,
diameter, PN /SDR) should be noted.

- The type and volume flow rate of the pump
should be recorded.

- Details of the type and ratings of pressure
and flow measuring devices should be
recorded, including calibration certificate
references.

5.6 Charging of Main

- Water for testing of potable water mains
should be taken from the existing supply.

- An adjacent main may be used to charge the
main but for PE & PVC pipelines every effort
should be made to ensure the pressure in
the pipeline does not exceed 2 bar above
any static head generated by elevation
changes. If the pressure is raised above this
value then water should be bled from the
main to reduce the pressure prior to the test
commencing.

- The main should be charged from the lower
end with all air valves open and an open
valve at highest elevation.

- After charging the main and bleeding air from
the system, the valve at the highest elevation
should remain open to ensure that there is
no residual head at that point.

There should be no attempt to shorten the pumping
phase for PE & PVC pipelines by increasing the initial
pressure to local mains pressure using an adjacent
main. The test result will be invalid. The following
points should be noted by contractors tempted to
save on pumping by pre-charging:

- It will be obvious from input volumes and
elevations that pre-charging has occurred.

- The time for which the main has been pre-
charged will distort the effective loading time.
The time correction factor will be in error.
The error in correcting time will result in a
larger slope change of the pressure decay
characteristics.

- There is a greater likelihood of the test failing
the specified criteria.

5.7 Pump Capacity

- For PVC & PE materials the contractor
should ensure that a pump of capacity to
raise pressure smoothly to STP in a time
period of approximately 10-20 minutes is
available.

- For PVC & PE materials the total test time is
related to rise time and it is important for PE
pipes to have short rise times since creep
deformation accumulates during the pressure
rise.

An estimate of the volumes required for different
materials may be obtained from Tables A1.1 to
A1.6 for DI, PVC and PE mains (Appendix 1).

5.8 Removal of Air

The presence of air in a main will have a number of
effects viz:

1. air will markedly increase the pressure rise
time for PE & PVC pipelines see graph
Figure A2.1 in Appendix 2.
2. air will distort the interpretation of pressure
decay results for PE & PVC pipelines.

3. the main acts as an accumulator the air
expands as the pipe expands (or water is
lost).

4. air will thus reduce the rate of pressure loss.

Analysis (ref. 1) has shown that air has a significant
effect on the interpretation of data when the air
volume is > 4%.

It has therefore been agreed that there should be an
upper limit of 4% air in any main for a valid test in a
short time.

A method for determining the air content from the
pressure rise data is given in Appendix 2.

Attempts should be made to purge air from the main
during/after charging with water and before the start
of the Pressure Test.

- It is necessary to ensure that all air valves
are functioning properly

- For larger diameter mains (generally
>250mm) where there is considerable
undulation it is recommended to use a
foam swab ahead of the water column.

All non self-sealing air vents should be closed prior to
testing.

6.0 Mains Testing Procedure

6.1 Preliminary Conditioning of Main

BS EN 805 recommends that there should always be
a preliminary test phase where the pressure is taken
to the operating pressure (without exceeding STP) to:

a. stabilize the part of the pipeline to be tested
by allowing most of the time dependent
movements.

b. achieve an appropriate saturation with water
when using water absorbing materials (e.g
cement linings on iron pipes).

For iron pipes with epoxy linings and PVC or GRP
pipes with socket and spigot joints, the settlement
test should be completed in 15 minutes.

Where DI pipes have cement linings, the main should
be allowed to settle overnight.

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N.B. It is not advised to have any preliminary test for
PE pipes (as recommended by BS EN 805). The
standard states that such a test would allow time
dependent increases in volume to occur. This is not
the case and pre-pressurising PE pipes totally
confuses subsequent data analysis.

6.2 Raising Pressure

The pressure should be raised to the test level (STP)
by pumping in a controlled manner.

The pressure changes and the added volume of
water should be continuously logged.

If there is less than 1% air in the main, the pressure
should rise at a uniform rate.

If there is significant air present, the pressure will rise
slowly at first and will gradually increase until a
constant rate is achieved.

Typical characteristics are shown in Appendix 2,
figure A2.1.

6.3 Assessing Air Content

An approximate estimate of the air volume can be
made by comparing the actual water input volume
with that predicted for mains with different levels of
contained air see Appendix 1 for tables.

As a more precise alternative, the actual air volume
may be calculated using the pressure rise
characteristics as outlined in detail in Appendix 2.

If the air volume estimate is >4% the test should be
abandoned. Such large air volumes would confuse
data analysis. The pressure should be reduced to
zero and efforts made to bleed air from the system.
The test should be restarted.

For all PE & PVC pipelines the new test should not
start until a period of 4 times the period the pipe was
under pressure, including the initial rise time.

6.4 Pressure Decay Phase

For PE & PVC pipelines it is recommended that after
reaching test pressure (STP), pressure readings
should be taken until the decay time (commencing
from when full pressurisation is achieved) is:

at least 5 hours for all types of PVC pipes - to
allow non linear creep relaxation effects to be
minimised

at least 1 hour or 20* pressurisation time -
whichever is the greater for PE pipes - to
be certain that there has been a significant
pressure drop due to leakage.

As the pressure decays an analysis should be carried
out to check whether there is reason to believe that
the main is leaking. This should be done whilst the
test is in progress.

It is strongly recommended that the test system
applied to the main is not de-commissioned or the
main put into service until the pipeline meets the
appropriate test criteria and is deemed to be free
from leakage.

7.0 Data Analysis

7.1 Air content

To assess that the air content is less than the
acceptable criteria, use the tables for estimated water
input volumes to raise the pressure to STP and/or
logged pressure rise data - see 6.2 and Appendix 2.

7.2 Analysis for Ductile Iron, Steel and GRP
pipes

If the pressure drops less than the allowed pressure
decay rate given in Table 2 the pipeline is secure. If
the pressure decay rate is close to the allowed rate
the test may be repeated immediately.

When an unacceptable pressure decay rate has
been identified, the test should be stopped. The main
should be gradually depressurised until only static
head remains.

A search should be instituted to identify any leaks.
Guidance is given in section 7.7

7.3 Analysis for PVC and PE pipelines

The rate of linear decay of pressure with time caused
by creep stress relaxation, will give rates of pressure
drop that greatly exceed the BS EN 805 allowed rate
for times up to 12 hours for PVC pipes and 36 hours
for PE pipes.

To check whether there is evidence that the rate of
decay is predicted to be unacceptably high, it is
necessary to analyse the logarithmic decay of
pressure with time and compare this with known
material creep relaxation behaviour.

7.3.1 Correcting for Creep during Rise Time

It should be noted that for both PVC and PE pipes, a
correction to the decay time is needed to account for
the time spent in raising the pressure. This is
achieved by adding 0.4* rise time (t
L
) to the decay
time. The time is the corrected decay time.

Corrected Decay Time (t
L
) = 0.4 * Rise Time
+ Time since pump shut off...(5)

7.3.2 Analysis of Pressure Above Static Head

Where there is a significant static head on the main,
this can affect the analysis. This head is always
present and cannot decay. Therefore, all pressure
data should be analysed using the pressure applied
by pumping above the initial static head.

Applied Pressure (P
A
) = Current Pressure (P)
Start Pressure (Po).(6)

Data may be analysed by a graphical method and
also by calculation.

7.3.3 Data to be Used for Analysis - Filtering
Short Term Decay Pressures

(i) Because there are frequently odd pressure
variations in the time immediately after closing
the main via the isolating valve, no data for
either PVC or PE should be analysed until a
time period equal to the rise time has passed.

(ii) With PVC, the initial decay data will not settle to
a constant logarithmic decay rate for at least 1
hr. No data at times < 1 hour should be used for
PVC pipes.

7.3.4 Trendline Analysis

(i) A graph of the applied pressure (P
A
) value vs
corrected decay time time should be plotted on
logarithmic axes.

(ii) For PE pipes, it is expected that for corrected
times greater than the rise time, the applied
pressure decay results should lie on a straight
line with a slope between -0.07 and -0.09.

If pressure decay results are plotted using a
spreadsheet program, power law trendlines can be
applied to all the data in two separate time intervals
1
.

For PE pipes: the intervals are: (t
1
to t
2
) between t
L

and 8 t
L
and (t
2
to t
3
) between 8t
L
and 20 t
L
.

Where t
L
= time taken to achieve test pressure (also
known as rise time)

For PVC pipes: the intervals are: (t
1
to t
2
) between
1hr and 3hr and (t
2
to t
3
) between 3hr and 8hr.

The resulting equations will be of the form:

P
A
=(Corrected Decay Time)
-n
......(7)

The slopes between the two time intervals should be
determined as the power law exponent (n). The
absolute value of n is dependent on numerous
factors and cannot be used to determine leak-
tightness this can only be done through change of
slope (see section 7.4). However, the values are
given below as a guide.

PE pipes: The expected slope (n) for most PE
materials is between 0.07 and 0.09
2
.

N.B. values of n may occasionally range between
0.06 and 0.1 depending to some degree on
compaction and also the air content. (A slope below
0.06 may be indicative of excessive pre-charging).

PVC pipes: The expected slope (n) for most PVC
materials is between 0.03 and 0.07.

N.B. When pipelines utilise different materials,
equation 3 (section 2.2) may be modified to calculate
expected power law pressure decay exponents for
lines with multiple materials (A&B) by replacing
APDR with values of n. The formula for allowable
value of n is:

n = L
fA
*(n)
A
+ L
fB
*(n)
B
.(8)

Where L
fA
and L
fB
are the respective length fractions
of materials A and B.

7.4 Calculation Analysis for PE and PVC Pipes

After adding 0.4* t
L
to the decay times, two rates of
decay should be calculated using the pressure

1
The interval times are approximate take nearest readings to
those recommended
2
NB Special barrier layer PE pipes with Polypropylene or
Aluminium layers, will have lower slopes. Reference should be
made to the pipe suppliers for the expected creep relaxation
exponents.

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change (P
A
) data between the times t
1
and t
2
(slope
n
1
) and between t
2
and t
3
(slope n
2
) as follows:

( ) ( ) | |
| | ) log( ) log(
log log
1 2
2 1
1
t t
t at P t at P
n
A A
= ...(9)

( ) ( ) | |
| | ) log( ) log(
log log
2 3
2 3
2
t t
t at P t at P
n
A A
= .(10)

For PE: t
1
= t
L
, t
2
= 8t
L
, t
3
= 20t
L
.
For PVC: t
1
= 1hr, t
2
= 3hr, t
3
= 8h

7.5 Pass/Fail Criteria for PE and PVC Pipes

For either PE or PVC pipes, no great significance
should be placed on the absolute value of n within
the ranges quoted.

It is important to note that for a secure main, the
pressure will decay with a constant power law slope
and it is any increase in slope that is important in
assessing whether a main is suffering leakage. Any
slope change is directly proportional to the leakage
rate and computer analysis has shown that assuming
up to 4% air content, a 25% increase in slope
corresponds to the allowable BS EN 805 leakage
rate.

Small slope changes or occasional decreases in
value at longer decay times are not an issue of
concern. It is where there is a consistent increase in
slope that leakage is indicated.

The assessment criteria are:

For both PE and PVC pipes, the value for the
longer time period should not increase above
the short term value by more than 25%.

For PE pipes - if the longer term slope
exceeds 0.13, the rate of pressure decay is
unacceptably high.

For PVC pipes if the longer term slope
exceeds 0.08, the rate of pressure decay is
unacceptable high.

7.5.1 Steadily Increasing Pressure Decay

An example of a set of pressure decay data is shown
in Figure 2 for a PE pipe with a leak generating a
pressure loss (in excess of that expected for creep
alone) - which is just at the BS EN 805 limit (see
Table 2).

It is to be noted that the simple analysis in section 7.4
relies heavily on single point data and if there is an
indication that the slope has increased by more than
10%, results should be plotted and a computer trend
line determined (as in section 7.3.4) using all data in
the specified time ranges.

If pipelines fail to meet the acceptance criteria, the
test should be stopped and the excess water bled
carefully from the system. A search for potential
leaks should be initiated.

After leaks are found and repaired, the test should
be repeated. but only after a time greater than 4
times the
total original test time has elapsed to allow for
complete creep deformation recovery.

7.5.2 Checking Absolute Rate of Pressure
Decay for PVC and PE Pipes

As a final confirmation that the rate of pressure decay
is in excess of the allowed limits, it is possible to
calculate the current pressure decay rate at the end
of the test period. This is only valid if the test has
been running for more than 36 hours since creep
stress relaxation effects will confuse results at shorter
times.

The decay rate should be calculated by use of the
time interval over which the pressure decayed by
more than 0.05 bar in the last phase of the test.

If the pressure decay rate is in excess of 2*APDR
3

(see Table 2), the pipeline has unacceptable
leakage.

7.6 Estimating the Rate of Leakage

When a pipeline has been shown to have an
unacceptable pressure decay rate, it is frequently of
use to the installation contractor to know the extent of
the actual leakage. Knowing the leak rate may
indicate whether for example a single joint is leaking

3
The factor 2 allows for the residual creep stress relaxation which
will still occur at 36 hours
or whether there are multiple leak paths in various
places.

To estimate the leak rate, it is necessary to know the
current pressure decay rate in the test. This can be
calculated by taking the pressure decay over the last
time increment (if the logger is setup to log the time
for a defined pressure drop, or if the logger is setup
to log at specific time intervals the time taken for the
pressure to decay by the last 0.05bar should be
used) and dividing by the time interval - let this be
P/ t.

The leakage rate in litres/hr/km can be estimated
(see Appendix 4) as:

Water loss = (Measured Pressure Decay Rate/
APDR) * 0.000018* (OD)
2
....(11)

Where APDR is the Allowed Pressure Decay Rate
given in Table 2

Different coefficients for materials and SDRs in Table
2 reflect the differences in pipe stiffnesses. Values
have been calculated via eqn A3.1 in Appendix 3.

7.7 Visual Inspection for Leakage

(a) With most pipes, there is seldom any leakage
through the pipe wall. All pressure pipes in use
in the UK will have been tested at the factory to
much higher pressure levels than STP.

(b) With PE pipes, 25 years of testing has never
detected a failure of a butt fusion weld with
systems welded with modern equipment.

(c) Leaks will occur generally at mechanical joints
or electrofusion welded pipes/fittings in PE
systems.

It is recommended that the main be raised in
pressure back to STP and that the contractor carry
out a visual inspection of all joints that are visible.

If there are no signs of visible water loss a leak-noise
correlator may be used and the ground inspected for
damp patches.

If there is no success, the pipeline should be divided
into shorter sections and further pressure tests
conducted.

7.8 Post Test Procedure

When a main has been positively accepted as being
free from leaks, the water should be released slowly
from the pipeline with all valves opened.
The water should be discharged safely to a pre-
planned site.

8. Test Report

For every test, a formal report should be made giving
complete details of the tests that have been carried
out.

The report should contain:-

- The name, company and contact details of
the person carrying out the test.

- All details of the materials, dimensions,
length and PN ratings of the pipeline as
required in section 5.5.

- The type of pressure and flowmeter should
be described together with details of their
maximum range, precision and calibration
history.

- The pump volume flow rate at rated speed
should be given, or the logged data from the
flow meter

- The report should give all the recorded
measurements of the pressure and water
flow during the pressure rise phase.

- The pressure decay data should be recorded
in the report.

- Details of any analysis carried out in
accordance with the methods described in
Section 7 of this specification should be
given.

IGN 4-01-03
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Appendix 1

Estimated Water Input Volumes for Different
Pipes

To assist contractors in the choice of pumps to raise
pressure in mains, the estimated input volumes have
been calculated for different pipe materials. These
are given in Tables A1.1 to A1.3.

Values of the calculated pipe volumes are also given
in the tables.

The tables given here are for guidance only :

Precise values will alter for different
types/grades of PE (PE80/PE100) and PVC
(PVC-U,PVC-A,PVC-O)

Values for all plastics will be affected by
temperature plastics become stiffer as
temperature is reduced volumes should be
decreased by approx 5% per degree for
temperatures below 10
o
C and vice versa for
higher temperatures.

Values for all materials will be affected by the
volume of air in the pipeline

The calculations assume 100m length of main and
give the estimated volume inputs for a 10 bar
pressure rise (from 1-11bar). Values for other
lengths/pressures should be scaled pro rata.
- The test pressure STP should be quoted.

- The report should give details of the date and
time of the test and its location.

Ductile Iron

The data for Table A1.1 assume K9 pipe is used

.


Appendix 2

Analysis to Determine Initial Volumes of Air in a
Pipeline

A2.1Modelling the Effects of Different Air
Volumes

- Large volumes of air contained in a pipeline
can be dangerous if a pipe failure occurs.
There will be a massive sudden release of
stored energy
- All testing standards acknowledge that
contained air will totally confuse added
volume measurements in constant pressure
tests and will have some effect on pressure
decay characteristics.
- Having large initial air volumes will always
increase pressure-rise times
o High air content will slow down the
rate of pressure decay
o Air may mask signs of leaks since air
expansion will delay the time before
leakage affects the degree to which
the pressure decays.
- Thus, having high air content always leads
increased test times and the possibility of
reduced test sensitivity.

A2.2 Effects of Different Air Volumes on Pressure
Decay for PE Pipes

An analysis has been made of the effects of air on
pressure decay data in PE pipe systems (ref. 1). The
results (Figure A2.2) show how air produces a delay
before leakage becomes apparent via a slope
change in the logarithmic decay data.

The results of modelling different pressure drops
below the expected creep power law stress
relaxation profile are shown in Figure A2.3. The
presence of air will tend to mask the pressure decay
due to a leak. In pipelines with higher air contents, it
will take longer to detect any given % drop in
pressure caused by a leak. This is shown in Figure
A2.3 where the time to detect two different pressure
drops below expected rates is shown vs air content.
The time is shown as a multiple of the loading time.

For a main with no air, the pressure will have
dropped by 2% more than expected at 6* the rise
time. With 4% air, the pressure will have dropped by
2% more than expected at 9* the rise time. When the
pressure has decayed by 5% more than expected,
the power law slope n will have doubled. It is always
advantageous to have less air in the system leak
detection sensitivity is increased at shorter times
A2.3 Estimating the Volume of Air in a Pipeline

Because air has an effect on the pressure decay, it is
essential to have a quantitative measure of the air
contained in a pipeline under test.

A 2.3.1 Approximate Estimation

The tables for water input volumes given in Appendix
1 may be used on site to give an initial estimation of
the air volume in a pressurised main. By comparing
the actual water input volume to raise the pressure
by P
A
with the estimated volumes given in the tables,
it should be possible to swiftly compare the real input
with that expected at different air contents.

If the air content so estimated is close to the
acceptable limit of 4% of the total pipe volume, it
would be wise to extend the test time to 20 times the
loading time t
L
. The pressure decay time needs to be
extended to counteract the effect of air in slowing the
pressure decay and accurately determine whether
the pipe is leaking.

A 2.3.2 Calculating Air Volume from
Pressurisation Characteristics

The shape of the Applied Pressure vs Input Volume
characteristic is a good measure of whether
significant air is present. When there is negligible air,
the pressure will rise quickly as water is pumped into
the main. Eventually, the pressure rise rate will slow
down slightly as the plastic pipe becomes less stiff
due time dependent creep effects. This is shown as
curve (1) in Figure A2.4.
If the pressure rises slowly in the initial phase and
then more rapidly at higher pressures (curve (2) in
Figure A2.4), this is a sign that there is significant air
present.

Even when air is present (curve (2)), the slope of the
pressure vs time curve during the rise phase
becomes constant as time increases - when the air is
compressed to small volumes and only small
volumes of water are added to compress the air.
Thus, if the slope at high Applied Pressures is
extrapolated back to the volume axis, the intercept is
a good indication of the air volume. This is illustrated
in Figure A2.4 where the extrapolation gives Va=
14,600 litres. (Note that the slope of this line is
almost the same as curve (1)).

This method of estimation of air volume does not
depend on the rate of pressure increase to any
significant extent, nor is the method of estimation
sensitive to the type of material, diameter, SDR or
length of the pipeline.

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Correction for Tangent Pressure: If the
extrapolation is made by taking the pressure rate at
low applied pressures - when air occupies a
significant volume and there is heavy curvature, the
intercept is not an accurate measure of the air
volume (e.g. in Fig A2.4, the tangent at point X has
an intercept of 11,000 litres). This may be the case
where there is a high initial static pressure (Po) or a
low STP value (< 16bar).

To correct for this effect, it has been possible to
derive empirical values of a scaling factor (SF) which
should be used to multiply the intercept. The factor is
given by:

SF = 2 * (Tangent
Pressure)
-0.2
..A2.1
The tangent should be taken as close to STP as
possible where the tangent pressure then equals
STP.

Correction for Initial Pressure Po: When tests are
conducted with high initial Po values, the initial air is
already compressed by this pressure. To allow for
this and calculate a true initial air volume, a further
correction is needed. The correction factor for Po
effects (PSF) is given in Figure A2.5 and alternatively
via equation A2.2.

PSF = 0.03*(Po)
2
+ 0.08*(Po) + 1
A2.2

The Air Volume is then given by:

Air Volume = (SF * PSF * Intercept) Original Pipe
Volume........ A2.3

A 2.3.3 Worked Example by Calculation

As an example of the calculation of the air volume,
the pressure rise data shown for a test on 1000m of
800mm SDR 11 PE100 pipe (Figure A2.4) can be
taken. The initial pressure (Po) was 0.2 bar.

At point Y just before peak pressure, 22,000 litres
had been added to raise the pressure to 14.46 bar

At point Z, (STP), 22,880 litres had been added to
raise the pressure to 16.18 bar.

Therefore, for the last 1.72 bar increment between A
and B the pressure rise rate was:

litre bar Rate / 00195 . 0
22000 22880
72 . 1
=
=

The peak pressure STP was 16.18 bar and 22,180
litres was added (V
w
) to attain STP :

litres
Rate
STP
w
V Intercept 14580
00195 . 0
18 . 16
22880 = = =
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|

This estimate should be corrected for the pressure
rise curvature via the SF factor

From equation A2.1, the scaling factor SF =2 *
(16.18)
-0.2
= 1.15

From equation A2.2, the initial pressure scaling factor
PSF is 1.017 for Po = 0.2 bar

Thus from equation A 2.3, the

Estimated air volume =1.15*1.017*14,580 = 17,052
litres

The original internal pipe volume for 1000m of
800mm SDR 11 pipe is 336,530 litres - from Table
A1.3

% 08 . 5
336530
17052
= = Content Air Initial

This would be considered unacceptable for a short
term pressure decay analysis. The limit is 4%. Thus,
the test result should be calculated at an extended
time of 20*t
L
.
Appendix 3

BS EN 805

A3.1 Rates of Leakage General Issues

Historically, the acceptance testing of pipe systems in
the U.K. has been governed by codes of practice and
specifications which have followed procedures
developed by clients and suppliers over a long time
period.

For ductile iron (DI) and PVC pipes there was
specified a minimum rate of volume loss of 0.02 litres
per day per mm diameter per km per bar pressure
applied. This was originally specified in BS COP 312
and BS 8010.

This criterion was a sensible model of a leakage rate
in that it is implicit that the rate of leakage will be
directly proportional to the pipe diameter and the
applied pressure.

For PE systems where creep relaxation effects can
make the discernment of leakage problematical, the
procedure was to compare and contrast the actual
decay in pressure with that which was to be
expected because of stress relaxation due to creep.

In 2000, BS EN 805 was issued. This is a global
standard entitled: Water supply - Requirements for
systems and components outside buildings

The standard gives a criterion for acceptance which
is described in terms of an allowable pressure loss
per hour.

The BS formula is:

Allowable Leakage v = (1.2 * p)* Vp * ((1/Ew) +
(SDR/Ep)). (A3.1)

Where:

v = Loss in water due to decrease in pressure
p

Vp = Pipe Volume

Ew = Bulk Modulus of Water

Ep = Pipe Modulus

1.2 = An allowance factor to account for air etc

p = allowable pressure loss

It is noted that this formula has nothing whatsoever to
do with leakage rates per se. The formula is a simple
stress strain relationship, where v /Vp is the strain
and the p * SDR component is the stress in the pipe
wall.

The formula allows for calculation of the pipe
contraction (or expansion) if water is lost (or added)
because of a pressure change p.

Allowable leakage is that water loss which causes a
drop in pressure of p

Because the formula works in terms of pipe volumes,
any allowable water loss rate is automatically
proportional to Diameter
2
. This may/may not be the
real case.

In practice, many leaks around flanges or socket and
spigot joints are likely to vary as a linear function of
diameter. They are controlled by changes in the pipe
circumference rather than the pipe volume.

In other cases (such as with leaks at tapping tee
connections), there may be no pipe diameter
sensitivity since the hole for the tapping does not
vary significantly.

A3.2 BS EN 805 Deriving a Water Loss
Criterion

In BS EN 805, the allowable pressure loss is 0.2 bar
4

in any test where the main is raised to the test
pressure and then sealed. This drop in pressure is
specified to be common to DI, steel, concrete and
plastic pipes.

There is a major problem in adopting this universal
criterion for both metal and plastic pipes. Because
plastics are much less stiff the volume change
caused by a decrease in pressure of 0.2 bar will be
some 10-20 times larger than for DI where the
volume change is small.

For example, consider the volume of water loss that
would cause a pressure drop of 0.2 bar in 1km of a
250mm pipeline:

o For a stiff pipe such as Ductile Iron, 1.13
litres would need to be lost.

o For a flexible pipe such as PE80, some 16
litres would be lost.
The specification of one simple pressure loss rate in
BS EN 805 leads to the acceptance of totally different
water volume losses for pipes of different wall
thicknesses and made from different materials.

4
to which a factor of 1.2 is applied to correct for air effects

IGN 4-01-03
(Page 15 of 30)
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WRc have offered advice based on the simplistic BS
EN 805 principle and in their latest Pressure Testing
IGN
5
they give tables for DI, PVC and Steel pipes
which have allowable loss rates which vary massively
between the different materials and SDRs.

Since water engineers are driven to maintain leakage
at very low uniform rates independent of the pipe
material, it is recommended here that the water loss
rates calculated from equation A3.1 for K9 ductile
iron pipes be taken as the acceptable measure of
water loss. These rates should then apply for all
materials based on nominal pipe diameters.

The allowable leakage rates for K9 Ductile Iron are
shown in Figure A3.1. They are given in tabular form
in Table 1 in the main text.

For an exact calculation:

Allowable water loss (litre/hr/km) = 0.000018*(OD)
2

(A3.2)

A3.3 Acceptable Pressure Loss Rates

Because a value of pressure loss may be an easier
parameter to measure in any test, it is necessary to
calculate acceptable loss rates for different pipe
materials and stiffnesses.

Having accepted that the BS EN 805 allowable
pressure loss rate of 0.2 bar/hr should apply for DI
pipes, the resulting acceptable pressure loss rates for
pipes made in different stiffness categories for all
other materials have then been calculated.

The criterion is that the acceptable water losses are
those given in Figure A3.1. Equation A3.1 has then
been used to calculate p given v as an input for
pipes of different SDRs and with different modulus
values Ep .

The values of acceptable pressure decay rates
(APDR) are given in Table 1 in the main text.

A3.4 Pressure Test Methods

BS EN 805 does not directly specify any given test
method for pipes. In section 11 of the standard and
in Appendices A26 and A27, the details for mains
testing and data analysis are given. It is always left to

5
A Guide to Testing of Water Supply Pipelines and Sewer Rising
Mains
the discretion of the designer to choose the test
method and
for PE pipes, the method described is a
recommendation rather than a requirement. The tests
described are:

A3.4.1 Limited Pressure Decay - Pressure Loss
Method (BS EN 805 11.3.3.4.3)

Following raising of pressure to STP, the main is
closed and it is stated that any changes in pressure
are monitored over 1 hour period (or longer if
specified by the designer).

BS EN 805 states that the rate at which the pressure
is lost should not exceed the specified limit of 0.2 bar
per hour for DI, steel or plastic pipes.

This test is appropriate for the assessment of DI and
steel pipes but the simple analysis recommended is
inappropriate for plastic pipes which suffer from
creep stress relaxation. This has been considered in
detail and the recommended analysis methods to
allow for creep are given in section 7 of the main text.

It is likely that a result which can be accepted with
confidence will only be obtained after at least 10
hours of pressure decay for PVC and some 36 hours
for PE pipes. It is only at these times that the
pressure drop from creep stress relaxation has
decayed to the same level as the allowable leakage
rate.

A3.4.2 Limited Pressure Decay Water Loss
Method (BS EN 805 11.3.3.4.2 a)

In this procedure (long used for DI evaluation in the
UK), the pressure is raised to STP and is then
allowed to decay over a 1-2 hour period to a pressure
P1. The pressure is then returned to STP.
Immediately, water is drained from the system to
return the pressure to P1. The volume drained in this
final process is deemed to be the amount lost due to
leakage in the decay phase. There are two
fundamental problems with this test:

a. The new BS EN 805 allowable leakage rates
are so small that if the pressure is not
returned to STP and subsequently drained to
P1 with great precision, then the result will be
meaningless. Very small errors in pressure
control (e.g. of the order +/- 0.05 bar) cause
significant variations in the water volumes
lost.
b. If even small volumes of air are present, the
water volume measurements will be
meaningless as a true measure of leakage if
pressures are not controlled with great
precision an unlikely event on most
construction sites.

Whilst this test may have been used satisfactorily in
the past for DI pipes, the new allowable leakage
ratesa) specified in BS EN 805 are 10-50 times
lower
6
than hitherto.

The new demands for a more sensitive measure of
leakage means that water loss assessment is likely
to lead to confusing results and the test is not
recommended.
A3.4.3 Constant Pressure Test Water Added
Method (BS EN 805 11.3.3.4.2 b)

In this procedure, it is required to hold the pressure at
STP and then measure any water needed to be
added to hold pressure. There are two fundamental
problems with this method:

a. The control equipment to hold the pressure
absolutely constant needs to be very
sophisticated. Again, small pressure
fluctuations can cause large errors in
assigning water leakage rates.

b. The water losses allowed are so small that it
is simply not feasible to measure the flow
rates of any water added to maintain
pressure.

Because the new BS EN 805 allowable water loss
rates are so low, it is not recommended that this test
be used.

A3.5 Use of BS EN Test Methods for Plastic
Pipes

The wording in BS EN 805 is very confusing with
respect to different materials under test. The
standard doesnt mention PVC or GRP pipes
specifically at all, but recommends that plastics
pipes be treated the same as DI.

There is only mention of PE and PP pipes as being
special cases of materials with viscoelastic properties
and thereby in need of different assessment.

This is quite wrong. PVC will suffer from creep stress
relaxation although not to the same degree as with
PE and PP.

6
depending on diameter. BS EN specifies leak rates as a function
of diameter
2

The pressure in PVC pipes will naturally decay
without leakage and the effects are significant for
times up to 10 hours. Thus pressure decay test data
(or water volume measurements) on PVC and GRP
are difficult to analyse in first 10 hours since stress
relaxation effects could be confused with leakage.

IGN 4-01-03
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Appendix 4

Pressure Decay (Type 2) Test

A4.1 Advantages of Pressure Decay Test

1. The test method itself is extremely simple.
The pipeline is raised to pressure with a
pump and when the test pressure is
achieved, the pump is switched off, a valve is
closed and the pressure is monitored.

2. The equipment needed to raise the pressure
is unsophisticated.

3. The pressure measurements may be made
using either pressure gauges or transducers.
There is no need for highly sophisticated or
highly sensitive monitoring equipment.

4. Data may be recorded by simple loggers so
that constant monitoring by staff is not
necessary. (There is also a permanent
record for QA purposes).

5. The test gives more accurate results the
longer the pressure is allowed to decay.
However, leaks of the order specified in
Table 1 can first be detected in relatively
short timescales.

6. The basic test method may be used for all
pipe materials.

7. The test actually measures the rate of
pressure decay which is the main criterion
specified by BS EN 805.

8. The analysis of results for thermoplastics
varies depending on the material, but in all
cases there are relatively simple procedures
that can be performed quickly to give
answers that can be directly interpreted as
water volume losses using the principles
specified by BS EN 805.

A4.2 Modified U.K. Pressure Decay (Type 2)
Test for Metal Pipes

The analysis for metal pipes is simple.

The results of pressure decay with time can
be plotted to derive a rate of pressure loss

or
The rate of pressure loss with time can be
calculated after any initial pressure
fluctuations have settled.

With metal pipes, there should be no loss in pressure
if there has been a pre-test to allow for joint
settlement (see section 6.1) and so any continuous
decay is a sign of leakage. The measured rate of
decay can be compared with the BS EN 805 level of
0.2 bar/hr. If it is above this level, the pipeline has an
unacceptable leakage level.

A 4.3 Modified U.K. Pressure Decay (Type 2)
Test for PVC and GRP Pipes

With PVC, pressure will decay naturally without
leakage for at least 10 hours after achievement of
STP. Thereafter the pressure drop caused by stress
relaxation alone becomes of less and less
significance.

Thus, where there are leaks in PVC pipelines, the
sign of a leak can be discerned by plotting a linear
graph of the Pressure vs Decay Time. Two typical
tests on PVC-A pipes, one known to be leaking, the
other secure are shown in Figure A4.1.

For the case with the leaking pipe, the pressure was
approximately 10 times in excess of the allowable
rate (Table 1) and was detectable after less than 2
hours on test. This was caused by a single leaking
socket and spigot joint.

After 4 hours there was a constant rate of pressure
drop with time when the creep stress relaxation rate
became a small fraction of the rate of loss caused by
the leakage.

For much smaller leaks, the pressure decay rate
caused by the leak becomes dominant in comparison
to the creep stress relaxation rate after 7-10 hours.
Thus test on PVC materials need to be continued for
8 hours to be certain that the pipeline is secure.

A4.4 Modified U.K. Pressure Decay (Type 2)
Test for PE Pipes

Historically, the U.K. Water Industry has used a
pressure decay test to assess PE pipes for leakage.
This is in accord with BS EN 805. The test procedure
itself is in full accord with that outlined simply in
clause 11.3.3.4.3 in the standard.

In the original test procedure, the absolute value of
gauge pressure was required to be plotted as a
function of time.

A correction of 0.4*Rise time was required to be
added to all the decay times to account for creep
deformation that had accumulated during the
pressure rise phase.

A4.4.1 Use of Change in Pressure for Analysis

It is now known that the use of an absolute value of
pressure led to confusion in the rates of creep stress
relaxation when high initial static heads existed. The
BS EN 805 analysis is actually calculated in terms of
the change in pressure (e.g. equation A4.1) and so
the new requirement also requires measurement of a
pressure change above the initial static level.
Examination of some hundreds of historic tests has
shown that this greatly enhances the consistency of
data expected for creep deformation in tests which
showed no signs of leakage.

The basis of the decay data analysis is as follows:

Pressure will fall continuously with time
because of creep stress relaxation.

The decay is linear on logarithmic axes
because creep stress relaxation follows a
power law, i.e.

P
A
= P
1
* (Corrected Time)
-n

(A4.1)

Where :

P
A
is the pressure applied above static head
Po

P
1
is the value of P
A
when time = 1

n = creep stress relaxation exponent

Leakage is a linear decay of pressure with
time and thus, any leak will cause the
pressure to deviate continuously from the
log-log power law.

A steady increase in the negative slope of
the logarithmic plot of P
A
vs corrected time is
a sure sign of leakage.

In this example on a 7.7km length of 500mm pipe,
the leak generated a pressure decay rate that was
some 4* in excess of the allowable leakage rate
given in Table 1. It was obvious from the slope
changes that there were serious leakage problems
after approximately 12 hours this was at about
twice the pressure rise time.

The change in slope of the log-log plot of pressure
change with time is a very sensitive measure of
leakage.

A4.4.1 Derivation of the Pressure Loss Rate due
to Leakage

If equation A4.1 is differentiated, we have:

dP
A
/dt = -n* P
1
* (Corrected Time)
(1+n)

..(A4.2)

this rate can be predicted from known creep stress
relaxation data

and if there is a leak which causes a pressure
change (dP
A
/dt)
leak
, the total rate of negative pressure
change will be:

Measured Rate of Pressure Drop = -

(n* P
1
* Time
(1+n)
) + (dP
A
/dt)
leak
, (A4.3)

The leak rate is the only unknown and can thus be
derived.

This relationship can be plotted on logarithmic axes
(where the creep relaxation component will follow a
linear power law) and the leak component will be a
constant.

For a PE pipe leaking at the allowable rate, this
would be as shown in Figure A4.3.

The test data shown were calculated by simply taking
the incremental changes in pressure P over logged
time intervals t as the test continued.

(N.B. If transducers are set at too sensitive levels, the
pressures will oscillate. Therefore, it is recommended
that the minimum pressure change P should be at
least 0.05-0.1 bar to prevent flutter of logged
pressures being too significant).

IGN 4-01-03
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It can be seen that in this case after 30 hours on
test
7
, there is a significant deviation from the
expected linear decay due to creep stress relaxation
and the leak rate falls to a constant value after
approx 72 hours. This is beyond the time when creep
stress relaxation causes any major pressure change
and can thus be considered to be the rate of
pressure loss caused by a leak.

If this value is in excess of the values given in Table
2, then the pipeline has failed to pass the required
criteria.

In the case for the 800mm pipe test shown in Figure
A 4.3 (diamond points), the final pressure decay rate
was 0.013 bar/hr. This is just below the allowable
rate (Table 2) of 0.015 bar/hr for SDR 17 PE 80 pipe.
It corresponds to a water loss of 10 litres/hour /km
via equation 4.3.

It is to be noted that sometimes, leaks are quite
sensitive to the pressure level, in which case the final
pressure decay rate may not settle at a constant
value. The rate will still be well in excess of the ever
decreasing creep rate but in this case it would be
necessary to introduce a pressure factor to calculate
a leakage rate.

This type of analysis requires that the PE pressure
test be continued for at least 36 hours to be certain
that the pressure drop caused by the water leakage
rate is in excess of the pressure drop due to creep.
However, the early signs that there is a problem can
be discerned when the test data deviate from the
power law line. The analysis of the slope changes
given in section 7 give a much more sensitive early
warning that there are unusual pressure changes
occurring and this analysis is preferred as the first
stage in test data interpretation.

The pressure change with time analysis here is to be
used when an absolute value of the pressure change
due to leakage is required.

A4.4.2 Conversion of Pressure Decay Rate to
Volume Loss

The derived pressure drop due to leakage can be
converted to a water volume loss (litres/hr/km) by the
following calculation involving scaling via equation
A3.2:

7
The pipe was 800m diameter and 3.8km long hence the long
test time.
Water loss = (Measured Pressure Decay Rate/
APDR) * 0.000018* (OD)
2
..(A4.4)

Values of the Allowable Pressure Decay Rates
(APDR) are given in Table 2 in the main text.

If the absolute level of leakage is known, it can be of
great assistance to the installation contractor in
finding and repairing the source of the leak.

10 20
15
0
235
18
Tap for air bleeding
& pressure release
Calibrated
Pressure Gauge
& pressure release
Flowmeter
Fed to datalogger
Datalogger
Pressure & Flow
Thrust
Blocks
Pump
10 20
15
0
235
18
10 20
15
0
10 20
15
0
235 235
18 18 18
& pressure release
& pressure release
Calibrated
Pressure Gauge
& pressure release
Flowmeter
Fed to datalogger
Datalogger
Pressure & Flow
Thrust
Blocks
Pump
Figure 1: General Layout for Testing Equipment

IGN 4-01-03
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PE80 450mmSDR17 500m Pressure Decay: Table 2 Leak
expected slope =-0.075
slope n
1
=-0.076
slope n
2
=-0.094
slope n
3
=-0.12
1
10
10 100 1,000 10,000
Corrected Time (min)
A
p
p
l
i
e
d

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

P
A

(
b
a
r
)
leak causes 0.015 bar/hr loss
Ratio n
2
/n
1
=1.24 - on limit
Ratio n3/n1 =1.6 - indicates leak

Figure 2: Example of Pressure Decay in PE Pipeline with Leaking Joint Pressure Loss
just within the acceptable criteria of Table 2.

SDR Diameter 0 1 2 3 4 5 Pipe Volume (l)
19 100 0 8 15 22 29 36 785
24 125 1 12 23 34 45 57 1227
28 150 1 17 33 49 65 81 1767
35 200 2 31 59 88 116 145 3142
40 250 3 48 93 137 182 227 4909
45 300 5 70 134 198 262 327 7069
49 350 7 95 182 270 357 445 9621
53 400 10 124 238 353 467 581 12566
55 450 13 157 302 446 591 736 15904
59 500 16 195 373 552 730 909 19635
64 600 24 281 538 795 1052 1309 28274
68 700 34 384 734 1083 1433 1783 38485
72 800 45 502 959 1416 1873 2330 50265
75 900 59 637 1215 1794 2372 2950 63617
77 1000 73 787 1501 2215 2929 3643 78540
Input as function of % Air

Table A1.1 Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar Pressure Increment for 100m of D.I.
Pipe

PE 100 Pipes (SDR 11)

Diameter 0 1 2 3 4 5 Pipe Volume (l)
63 2 4 6 8 10 12 209
90 5 9 12 16 20 24 426
110 7 13 19 24 30 36 636
125 9 16 24 31 39 46 822
160 15 27 39 51 64 76 1346
180 19 34 50 65 81 96 1703
225 29 53 78 102 126 150 2662
250 36 66 96 126 155 185 3286
280 45 83 120 158 195 233 4122
315 57 105 152 199 247 294 5217
355 73 133 193 253 314 374 6626
400 92 169 245 322 398 475 8412
500 144 263 383 502 622 741 13144
560 181 330 480 630 780 930 16488
630 229 418 608 798 987 1177 20868
710 290 531 772 1013 1254 1495 26504
800 369 674 980 1286 1592 1898 33649
1000 576 1054 1532 2010 2488 2966 52576
Air %

Table A1.2 Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar Pressure Increment for 100m of PE100
SDR 11 at 10
o
C

IGN 4-01-03
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ISSN 1353-2529


63 4 7 9 11 13 15 243
90 9 13 18 22 27 31 495
110 13 20 27 33 40 47 740
125 17 26 35 43 52 61 955
160 28 42 57 71 85 99 1565
180 36 54 72 90 108 126 1981
225 56 84 112 140 168 196 3096
250 69 103 138 173 207 242 3822
280 86 130 173 217 260 304 4794
315 109 164 219 274 329 385 6067
355 138 208 278 348 418 488 7706
400 175 264 353 442 531 620 9784
500 274 413 552 691 830 969 15287
560 344 518 692 867 1041 1215 19176
630 435 656 876 1097 1318 1538 24269
710 553 833 1113 1393 1674 1954 30824
800 702 1057 1413 1769 2125 2480 39134
1000 1096 1652 2208 2764 3320 3876 61147
Air %

Table A1.3: Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar Pressure Increment for 100m of PE100
SDR 17 at 10
o
C



63 3 5 7 9 10 12 209
90 6 10 14 17 21 25 426
110 9 15 20 26 32 38 636
125 11 19 26 34 41 49 822
160 18 31 43 55 67 80 1346
180 23 39 54 70 85 101 1703
225 37 61 85 109 133 158 2662
250 45 75 105 135 165 194 3286
280 57 94 132 169 206 244 4122
315 72 119 166 214 261 309 5217
355 91 151 211 272 332 392 6626
400 115 192 268 345 421 498 8412
500 180 300 419 539 658 778 13144
560 226 376 526 676 826 976 16488
630 286 476 666 855 1045 1235 20868
710 364 605 846 1087 1327 1568 26504
800 462 768 1074 1379 1685 1991 33649
1000 722 1199 1677 2155 2633 3111 52576
Air %

SDR 11 at 10
o
C

IGN 4-01-03
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ISSN 1353-2529


63 5 8 10 12 14 17 243
90 11 16 20 25 29 34 495
110 17 23 30 37 44 50 740
125 22 30 39 48 56 65 955
160 35 50 64 78 92 106 1565
180 45 63 81 99 117 135 1981
225 70 98 126 154 182 211 3096
250 86 121 156 190 225 260 3822
280 108 152 195 239 282 326 4794
315 137 192 247 302 357 413 6067
355 174 244 314 384 454 524 7706
400 221 310 398 487 576 665 9784
500 345 484 623 762 901 1040 15287
560 432 607 781 955 1130 1304 19176
630 547 768 988 1209 1430 1650 24269
710 695 975 1255 1536 1816 2096 30824
800 882 1238 1594 1950 2305 2661 39134
1000 1379 1935 2490 3046 3602 4158 61147
Air %

SDR 11 at 10
o
C


PVC SDR 26 Pipes - (PVC-A PN12.5, PVC-U PN8)

90 7 12 17 22 27 32 542
110 11 18 25 33 40 47 810
160 22 38 54 69 85 100 1713
200 35 59 84 108 132 157 2677
250 55 93 131 169 207 245 4183
315 87 147 208 268 329 389 6640
400 140 238 335 432 530 627 10707
450 178 301 424 547 671 794 13552
500 219 372 524 676 828 980 16730
630 348 590 831 1073 1314 1556 26561

Table A1.6 Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar Pressure Increment for 100m of PVC at
10
o
C

Pressure Time Characteristics for Different Air Contents
PE100 : 1km800mmSDR11
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time min
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

b
a
r
No
Air
1%
Air
3%
Air
5%
Air
7%
Air

Figure A2.1: Pressure Rise Characteristics for 1 km of 800mm SDR 11 PE 100 Pipe

IGN 4-01-03
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ISSN 1353-2529
Pressure Decay - Different Air Volume 500mmSDR 20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
100 1,000 10,000
Corrected Decay Time (min)
A
p
p
l
i
e
d

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

P
A

(
b
a
r
)
No Leak No Air 4% Air

Figure A2.2 Effect of Air on Pressure Decay in a PE Main with No Leak and with Leakage at 4
times Allowable Rate

Effect of Air on Time to find a Leak at BSEN 805 level
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Air (%)
L
o
a
d

T
i
m
e

M
u
l
t
i
p
l
e
Pressure dropped 2% more than expected
Pressure dropped 5% more than expected

Figure A2.3: Effect of Air on Time (multiple of loading time) to detect a leak at BS EN 805 level

Pressure Rise Characteristics for 1km of PE 100 800mm SDR 11
0
5
10
15
20
0 10,000 20,000 30,000
Input Volume (Litres)
A
p
p
l
i
e
d

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
b
a
r
)
No Air
5% Air
slope taken here gives
low estimate of air volume
as 11,000 litres
X
Y
Z
STP =16.18 bar
Vw
(14,580 litres)
Rate =0.00195 bar/litre
=STP/Rate
(1)
(2)
slope taken here gives
good approx estimate of air volume
as 14,580 litres

Figure A2.4: Pressure vs Vol for No Air & 5% Air - 1km : 800mm SDR 11 Pipe

Initial Pressure Scaling Factor PSF
y =0.03x
2
+0.08x +1.01
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
0 2 4 6 8
Po (bar)
PSF

Figure A2.5: Initial Pressure Scaling Factors (PSF) to Estimate the Air Volume

IGN 4-01-03
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ISSN 1353-2529
0
5
10
15
20
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Outside Diameter (mm)
W
a
t
e
r

L
o
s
s

l
i
t
r
e
s
/
h
r
/
k
m

Figure A3.1: Allowable Leak Rates for DI with a Pressure Loss of 0.24 bar/hr.

Pressure Tests on 200mmPN8 PVC-A Pipe
8.0
8.5
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.0
11.5
12.0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Corrected Time (min)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
b
a
r
)
Test with Leak
Leak 0.20 bar/hr/km
No Leak

Figure A4.1 : Pressure Decay Curves for PVC-A Pipe: with and without leaks


AP=6.3*time
-0.075
1.0
10.0
1 10 100
Corrected Time (h)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

c
h
a
n
g
e

(
b
a
r
)

Figure A4.2 : Applied Pressure (P
A
) vs Corrected Time (on logarithmic axes) for a PE Pressure
Test

No Leak Pressure Changes
AP=0.6* time
-1.070
0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
0.1 1.0 10.0 100.0 1,000.0
Time (h)
op/ot
leakage drop at 805 limit
of 0.017 bar/hr/km

Figure A 4.3: Rate of Pressure Decay as a function of Time for a PE Pipe (log axes)

UK Water Industry

PRESSURE TESTING OF PRESSURE PIPES AND FITTINGS
FOR USE BY PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIERS
APPENDIX A5: CONTRACTORS GUIDE



WATER INDUSTRY
INFORMATION &
GUIDANCE NOTE
IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 1 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529
Contents

Section
Page
No.
1 - Introduction 3
2 - New lay pipelines (PE & PVC) Type
II Test
4
3 - New lay pipelines (DI & GRP) Water
loss method
13
4 - Mains Renewal Test 18
5 - Service Test 25

Appendix A - Water Volumes 27

1. Introduction

One of the primary justifications for the refurbishment
of water distribution, transmission mains and sewer
rising mains is to replace and renovate pipes that
have been shown to have unsatisfactory leakage
levels. It therefore follows that the new systems
should be demonstrated to be as secure and leak-
free as possible.

In 2000, BS EN 805 was published and for the first
time, there are now specified European criteria for
assessing acceptability for different pipe materials.

BS EN 805 gives advice on different test methods
that may be used to assess pipelines for leakage.
These methods are not mandatory; it is left to the
Engineer/Client to choose the appropriate procedure.

As a consequence of this review, it has been decided
to adopt the Type II test for all new pipelines laid in
U.K. water systems apart from Ductile Iron (DI) and
Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). With the exception
of DI & GRP the test method is common to all
materials and combinations of materials, only the
methods of data analysis are different primarily to
account for the effects of viscoelastic stress
relaxation with PE materials.

DI and GRP pipelines will continue to be tested using
the Water Loss Method (although this can also be
determined from water added too, reference section
3)

Where new pipelines are already installed as part of
a working water system as is the case for most
rehabilitation projects, other tests are required and
are detailed in this document.

This document is for contractors physically
undertaking the testing and provides details of the
test methods to be used. Key points which affect the
test are listed along with a test procedure and a brief
discussion on the interpretation of the results.

Further information on the derivation of the tests and
the interpretation can be found in the full Pressure
Testing of Pressure Pipes and Fittings IGN.

2. New lay pipelines (PE & PVC) -
Type II Test

There is no point considering a Type II pressure test
without the required equipment as shown in the
diagram below (Figure 1) and for which more details
are provided below.

Test Fixtures A typical setup requires tapped
blank end plates, hydrants or ferrules at the lowest
point on the main to facilitate the filling of the
pipeline. Duckfoot hydrant bends may be used as a
temporary measure to allow easier removal of swabs

Pump - Where available a pump of capacity to raise
pressure smoothly to System Test Pressure (STP) in
a time period of approximately 10-20 minutes should
be used where practical. For smaller volume tests the
pressure rise time should be at least 2-5 minutes, this
may be more suited to a hand pump.
An estimate of the water volumes required to
pressurise mains of different materials can be found
in Appendix A

.

Flow meter A calibrated flow meter, ideally with a resolution of 1 litre, to measure the volume of water taken to
pressurise the main and capable of being logged.

Pressure Gauge A calibrated conventional circular pressure gauge, minimum 200mm diameter, or a digital
pressure gauge with a 0.01bar resolution should be available to view the pressure in the pipeline.

Data Logger This should comprise of a pressure transducer with an accuracy 0.2% of full scale. The transducer
should be connected to a logger which can record data at fixed time intervals (20s intervals are normally suitable
unless the test is unusually long or short) or at fixed pressure decay increments (a minimum of 0.1bar). The data
logger should be mounted at the lowest elevation of the pipeline, any deviation from this should be noted
10 20
15
0
235
18
10 20
15
0
10 20
15
0
235 235
18 18 18
Calibrated
Pressure Gauge
Datalogger
Pressure & Flow
Tap for air
bleeding &
pressure release
Pump
Tap for air
bleeding &
pressure release
Thrust
Blocks
Flowmeter
Low
elevation
end
High
elevation
end

Figure 1: General Layout for Testing Equipment

Ancillary Information

The following ancillary information should also be
recorded:

- The elevations of both ends of the test section
(data maybe available from the design drawings
or onsite measurement) and the measured static
head at the lowest elevation must be determined
when the valve at the highest elevation is open.
The difference in head between the position of
the lowest elevation and that of the transducer
used in the test is an important consideration.
- The start and end times and the date of the test
- All details of the pipe (material, length, diameter,
PN/SDR)
- Target Standard Test Pressure (STP)
- Type and volume flow rate of the pump
- Details of the type and ratings of pressure and
flow measuring devices should be given and any
calibration certificates made available

Choice of System Test Pressure (STP)

The standard test pressure (STP) should be the
lowest of:

o 1.5*PN
or
o PN+5 bar

- The PN rating of the lowest rated component in
the system should be used.
- The value of STP should apply at the lowest
elevation of the pipeline and must therefore

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 3 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529
include the initial maximum static head applied
(Po).
- The test pressure at the highest elevation should
be at least the maximum operating pressure. If
this is not possible due to the elevations involved
then the line should be split prior to testing.

Note 1: Some companies may prefer to use an STP
Operating Pressure

Note 2 To be a valid test the STP should be
achieved. Raising the pressure significantly (more
than 2 bar) above the STP will not affect the test
analysis but may damage a polymeric pipe if the
pressure is maintained for more than 2 hours
(however the creep should reduce the pressure in the
pipeline significantly within 2 hours).

Choice of Test Section/Length of Pipeline

There are no theoretical limits to the maximum length
of main which can be tested but there are a number
of practical issues which limit the length, these are:

- Number of joints & fittings on the main
- Availability of potable water to pre-charge the
main
- Source for discharge of water after the test.
- Elevations on the main
- Ability to identify the source of any leak detected
- The time available in which to obtain a valid test
result

Mains Testing Set-Up


- The main to be tested should be isolated with
end load bearing end fittings with sealed plates.
End fittings should have pressure ratings of at
least 1.5* STP.
- Closed valves or squeeze-off seals (for PE)
should NOT be used to hold the water.
- Service pipe connections using tapping tees may
have been bolted/welded to the main, but the
tapping hole should not have been made.
- Wherever possible, all joints made to the pipeline
should be in open trenches visible for direct
visual inspection.
- The main pipeline should have been backfilled
any axial movement or thermal effects on a
sunny day.
- Air valves should be located at all high points to
facilitate the removal of air during charging of the
main. Air valves should not be closed during the
test but non self-sealing air vents should be
closed.

Charging of Main

Water for testing of potable water mains should be
taken from the existing supply

An adjacent main may be used to charge the main
but every effort should be made to ensure the
pressure in the pipeline does not exceed 2 bar above
any static head generated by elevation changes. If
the pressure is raised above this value then water
should be bled from the main to reduce the pressure
prior to the test commencing.

The main should be charged from the lower end with
all air valves open and an open valve at the highest
elevation. After charging the main and bleeding air
from the system the valve at the highest elevation
should remain open to ensure there is no residual
head at that point.

Any attempt to shorten the pumping phase by
increasing the initial pressure to local mains pressure
using an adjacent main is forbidden and may result in
the test being classed as invalid. The following points
should be noted by contractors tempted to save on
pumping by pre-charging:

- It will be obvious from input volumes and
elevations that pre-charging has occurred
- There is a greater likelihood of the test failing the
specified criteria

Removal of Air

The presence of air in a main will have a number of
effects:

- Air will markedly increase the pressure rise time.
- Air will distort the interpretation of pressure decay
results.

There is an upper limit of 4% air in any main for a
valid test.

(obtained from the flow meter) with those given in
Appendix A.


For any pipeline where there is undulation it is
recommended to use a soft foam swab ahead of the
water column.

Test Procedure

Once the air has been removed from the main the
data logger should be connected and all information
logged.

Preliminary Conditioning of Main

For PVC pipes with socket and spigot joints, the
pressure should be raised to the STP and allowed to
settle for 15 minutes.

There should be no conditioning of PE mains, any
such conditioning will result in the test being classed
as invalid and a retest will be required.

Raising Pressure


Appendix A.

If the inputted volume indicates an air volume greater
than 4% the test should be abandoned and actions
taken (as detailed previously) to remove the air from
the system prior to retest.

For all plastic pipes the new test should not start until
a period of 4 times the period the pipe was previously
under test pressure for, including the initial rise time.

Pressure Decay Phase

After the test pressure (STP) has been reached the
system should be isolated and the pressure decay
logged for the times given in Table 1.

Material Test decay time (hours)
PVC 8
PE
1 hour or at least
20*pressurisation time
whichever is greater

Table 1 Minimum test decay times for different
materials

- As the pressure decays an analysis may be
carried out to check whether there is reason to
believe that the main is leaking. This may be
done whilst the test is in progress.
-

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 5 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529
- It is recommended that the test apparatus
attached to the main is not de-commissioned or
the main put into service until there is strong
reason to believe that the pipeline meets the
appropriate test criteria and is deemed to be free
from leakage.
-
-
- Data Analysis
-
- PVC and PE pipes
-
- PE and PVC materials creep under stress and
therefore the analysis of the test data is a little
more complicated than for the other materials.
The calculations below can be used to obtain two
n values
-
-
( ) ( ) | |
| | ) log( ) log(
@ P log @ P log
1 2
2 A 1
1
t t
t t
n
A
=

-
-
( ) ( ) | |
| | ) log( ) log(
@ P log @ P log
2 3
2 A 3
2
t t
t t
n
A
=

-
- P
A
: Applied Pressure = Current Pressure Initial
Static Pressure
- t
r
: Pressure rise time
- t=0 when STP has been reached
-

- For PE: t
1
= t
r
+0.4t
r
t
2
= 8t
r
+0.4t
r
, t
3
= 20t
r
+0.4t
r
.
- For PVCs: t
1
= 1hr, t
2
= 3hr, t
3
= 5h
-
- If
25 . 1
1
2
s
n
n
then the test is a pass
-
- Note: If
1
2
n
n is slightly greater than 1.25 the data
may be analysed graphically and the n values
obtained by a trend line analysis to reduce single
point errors, the graphical n values should then
be used to establish if the test passes. More
details can be found in the full Pressure Testing
of Pressure Pipes and Fittings IGN or a specialist
maybe contacted to offer advice.
-
-
leaks should be initiated. After leaks are found and
repaired, the test should be repeated. but only after
a time greater than 4 times the total original test time
has elapsed to allow for complete creep
deformation recovery.
-
-
- Post Test Procedure
-
- When a main has been positively accepted as
being free from leaks, the water should be
released slowly from the pipeline with all valves
opened.
- The water should be discharged safely to a pre-
planned site

Pressure Rise and Decay Data
0
4
8
12
16
0
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
b
a
r
)
t
r
t
r
8t
r
20t
r

Figure 2 Response of Pressure v Time for a PE pipe showing the times at which pressure values are analysed to
determine the n values

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 7 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529

3. New lay pipelines (DI, Steel & GRP) Water
Loss/Added Method

Equipment

As with the Type II pressure test there are certain
items of equipment which are necessary for the
Water Loss Test and without which the test should
not be conducted.

Test Fixtures A typical setup requires tapped
blank end plates, hydrants or ferrules at the lowest
point on the main to facilitate the filling of the
pipeline. Duckfoot hydrant bends may be used as a
temporary measure to allow easier removal of swabs

Pump A pump capable of raising and controlling
the test pressure (STP) and in the case of
measurement of the water volume added: a pump
capable of maintaining test pressure and measuring
the volume of water pumped in to achieve this.

An estimate of the water volumes required to
pressurise mains of different materials can be found
in Appendix A.

Pressure Gauge A calibrated conventional circular
pressure gauge, minimum 200mm diameter, or a
digital pressure gauge with a 0.01bar resolution
should be available to view the pressure in the
pipeline.

Volume Container A calibrated container, suitable
for the expected volume loss (e.g. a 200ml
measuring cylinder would be suitable for small
volumes). This will allow the draw off to be accurately
measured.


recorded:

- The elevations of both ends of the test section
and the measured static head at the lowest
elevation should be determined when the valve
at the highest elevation is open. The difference in
head between the position of the lowest elevation
and that of the transducer used in the test is an
important consideration.
PN/SDR)
- Target Standard Test Pressure (STP)
- Details of the type and ratings of pressure
measuring devices should be given and any
calibration certificates made available.


lowest of:

o 1.5*PN
or
o PN+5 bar

elevation of the pipeline and should therefore
(Po).

Note: Some companies may prefer to use an STP
Operating Pressure


There are no theoretical limits to the maximum length
of main which can be tested but there are a number
of practical issues which limit the length, these are:

- Number of joints & fittings on the main
- Availability of potable water to pre-charge the
main
- Source for discharge of water after the test.
- Elevations on the main
- Ability to identify the source of any leak detected
- The time available in which to obtain a valid test
result

Mains Testing Set-Up


- The main to be tested should be isolated with
end load bearing end fittings with sealed plates.
End fittings should have pressure ratings at least
1.5* STP.
- Any service connections should not be tapped
- Wherever possible, all joints made to the pipeline
should be in open trenches visible for direct
visual inspection.
- The main pipeline should have been backfilled
any axial movement or thermal effects on a
sunny day.
- Air valves should be located at all high points to
facilitate the removal of air during charging of the
main. Air valves should not be closed during the
test but non self-sealing air vents should be
closed.
- It is essential that all thrust blocks or other
anchorages are sufficient to withstand the forces
generated by the pressure test and any concrete
used has been adequately cured.
Charging of Main


The main should be charged from the lower end with
all air valves open and an open valve at the highest
elevation. After charging the main and bleeding air
from the system the valve at the highest elevation
should remain open to ensure there is no residual
head at that point.

There is an upper limit of 4% air in any main for a
valid test.

Appendix A.


For larger diameter mains where there is undulation
it is recommended to use a foam swab ahead of
the water column.

Test Procedure

Raising Pressure


Appendix A.

If the inputted volume indicates an air volume greater
than 4% the test should be abandoned and actions
taken (as detailed above) to remove the air from the
system prior to retest.

Preliminary Conditioning of Main

For iron or steel pipes with epoxy linings or GRP
pipes with socket and spigot joints, the pressure
should be raised to the STP and allowed to settle for
15 minutes. Where DI or steel pipes have cement
linings, the main should be allowed to settle
overnight.

Test Phase

After the Preliminary Conditioning the pressure
should be raised to the STP. Once the STP has been
achieved, use either of the following two procedures

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 9 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529
for measuring the amount of water required to
maintain pressure.

Volume of Water Added

Maintain STP for a period of one hour by additional
pumping as necessary, accurately measure the flow
of water and record with a resolution of 5ml or better.

Volume of Water Lost

Maintain STP for a period of one hour by additional
pumping as necessary. Isolate the main by
disconnecting the pump and closing all valves. Allow
pressure to decay for a period of one hour. The
pressure should then be raised and returned in a
controlled manner to STP. Water is then drained
back to the decay level pressure and captured in to a
calibrated volume container.

Data Analysis

If the drawn off or added volume is less than the
allowable volume (Table 2) then the test is a pass, if
it is above the test is a fail.

Nominal Leakage
Pipe Rate
Diameter
(mm) (litres/km/h)
100 0.18
150 0.41
200 0.72
250 1.13
300 1.62
350 2.21
400 2.88
450 3.65
500 4.50
600 6.48
700 8.82
800 11.52
900 14.58
1000 18.00

Table 2 Allowable leak rates (litres/km/hour) as a
function of diameter

leaks should be initiated. After leaks are found and
repaired, the test should be repeated.

Note: These are small volumes and as such the
pressure gauge used to monitor the STP and the
decayed pressure need to have a resolution of 0.01
bar or less. Small errors in the pressure may lead to
relatively large differences in the drawn off volume
and therefore lead to secure pipelines failing the test.

Post Test Procedure

When a main has been positively accepted as being
free from leaks, the water should be released slowly
from the pipeline with all valves opened.

The water should be discharged safely to a pre-
planned site.

4. Mains Renewal Test (10 minute test)

The rehabilitation of mains is often conducted under
severe time constraints to ensure disruption to
customers supplies are kept to a minimum. At a
minimum of 1 hour long the Type II test is often
unsuitable for a situation such as this.

The Mains Renewal Test does not provide the same
level of robustness (especially with regards to data
interpretation and therefore identification of a small
leak) as the Type II or Water Loss test but can
provide an element of confidence in the system being
installed especially if there are few joints (e.g. the
testing of two 100m coils with an EF coupler joining
them). It can identify leaks at joints or if a straight coil
is being tested it can identify damage such as that
caused during slip lining.

Equipment

The Mains Renewal Test is a constant pressure test
rather than a constant volume test as the Type II is.
The main differences between the equipment
required for a mains renewal test and a Type II Test
are:

Test Fixtures The test can be conducted against
valves and squeeze offs. There is no necessity to
remove the air from the system as this will not affect
the result. It is advisable to remove the majority of the
air from a health & safety perspective.

Pump A pump capable of raising and controlling
the test pressure for a period of at least 10 minutes is
required.

Flow meter A calibrated flow meter, with a
resolution of at least 0.1 litre, to measure the volume
of water taken to pressurise and then maintain the
pressure of the main and capable of being logged.

Pressure Gauge The pressure in the pipeline
should be monitored by a calibrated conventional
circular pressure gauge, minimum 200mm diameter,
or a digital pressure gauge with a 0.01bar resolution.

Data Logger This should comprise of a pressure
transducer with an accuracy 0.2% of full scale. The
transducer should be connected to a logger which
can record data at fixed time intervals (20s intervals
are normally suitable unless the test is unusually long
or short) or at fixed pressure decay increments (a
minimum of 0.1bar). The data logger should be
mounted at the lowest elevation of the pipeline; any
deviation from this should be noted.


recorded:

PN/SDR)
- Type and volume flow rate of the pump
- Details of the type and ratings of pressure and
flow measuring devices should be given and any
calibration certificates made available.


lowest of:

o 1.5*PN
or
o PN+5 bar

elevation of the pipeline and should therefore
(Po).

The tolerance for the pressure is 10% of the STP. A
breach of this tolerance will lead to the test being
classed as invalid and a retest being required.

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 11 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529


This test is only suitable for short test lengths with a
small number of joints. The maximum recommended
length is 200m comprised of two jointed 100m coils.

Any lengths in excess of this should be tested
using a Type II test.

Charging of Main


An adjacent main may be used to charge the main
and, unlike the Type II test, to raise the pressure up
to mains pressure.

Test Procedure

Once the main has been charged (prior to
pressurisation) the data logger should be connected
and all information logged.

by pumping in a controlled manner. Once the STP
has been realised the pump should be left on to
maintain the STP for a minimum of 10 minutes. A
visual inspection of all possible sources of leakage
(e.g. a squeeze off or valve) should be made by
walking down the length of the pipeline under test,
and if these are present a note should be made on
the results sheet.

Data Analysis

The data is analysed by inspecting the graphs of
pressure v time and flow v time. A successful test will
have a high flow as the main is being pressurised,
this will reduce significantly when the STP is
achieved. To keep the pressure constant more water
will need to added as PE creeps. The amount of
water needed should reduce with time and,
depending on the diameter and length of main being
tested, should be small in magnitude. A slightly
increased level of flow can be attributed to a slight
leak on a squeeze off or valve but this should have
been identified by the contractor when they
conducted a visual inspection of the test length.
Although not ideal the use of squeeze offs and
testing against valves is needed to ensure this test is
quick to conduct.

A successful test is one where the pressure does not
fluctuate significantly and there are low, reducing flow
rates. If the volume inputted over 3 equal periods in
the duration of the test is analysed there should be
steady volume or reduction in the volume inputted to
maintain the pressure. Allowable volumes can not be
given as there is no control of air volume and pre-
pressurisation is allowed.

An unsuccessful test is one where the pressure
fluctuates significantly and a significant amount of
water, which does not reduce, is required to maintain
pressure.

Once a contractor has become familiar with the test it
should be possible for him to identify if the test will be
a pass or fail by monitoring the flow meter both the
magnitude (depending on the diameter and length)
and how the flow rate varies with time.

If the test indicates there is a leak this should be
identified and the test repeated until a satisfactory
result is obtained


Mains Renewal (10 Minute Test)
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00
Time (mins)
F
l
o
w

(
l
i
t
r
e
s
/
m
i
n
)

0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
b
a
r
)

Figure 3 Typical Mains Renewal test graph showing the pressure increasing with high flows, the flow reducing as
the test pressure is reached and then decreasing as the rate of creep slows

-
Mains Renewal (10 Minute Test)
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
Time (mins)
F
l
o
w

(
l
i
t
r
e
s
/
m
i
n
)

0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
18.00
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
b
a
r
)
.

Figure 4 Mains Renewal test graph indicating a leak. Pressure fluctuates from the test pressure and flow rate is
high and does not reduce over the duration of the test

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 13 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529
5. Service Test

To ensure a leak free system all joints and
connections should be tested. The service
connections are often overlooked and are a potential
source of leakage.

As there can be a large number of services on a
main this test has been designed to be quick and
easy to conduct. It is essentially a visual test and
there is no data logging to support the reported
result.

Figure 5 Three joints which can be tested by the
service test

Equipment

Pump A hand pump capable of raising and
maintaining the pressure in the test length at 18bar.


recorded:

- The start time and date of the test
- All details of the location of the service pipe
- Details of the contractor who conducted the test.

Test Preparation


- The test pressure is 18bar

This may seem high but the service will not suffer
any damage from this pressure if it is only applied for
a short period of time

The service should not have been tapped prior to this
test being conducted.

Test Procedure

Fill the section to be tested. Raise the pressure to
18bar and maintain the pressure for 2 minutes.
Inspect the service visually during the test. Release
the pressure.

If a leak has been identified then the service should
be replaced, if no leak has been identified then the
test is a pass.

Appendix A

Water Volumes to pressurise pipelines pressures
and lengths can be scaled pro rata (e.g. for 15bar
increase multiply value by 1.5 for 50m divide value by
2)

K9 Ductile Iron
Diameter
(mm)
SDR 0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
100 19 0 6 12 18 23
125 24 1 10 19 29 38
150 28 1 15 29 43 56
200 35 2 27 53 78 103
250 40 3 44 84 124 164
300 45 5 64 122 181 240
350 49 7 88 168 248 329
400 53 10 115 221 327 433
450 55 13 147 281 416 550
500 59 16 183 349 516 682
600 64 24 266 507 748 989
700 68 35 364 694 102
3
135
3
800 72 47 478 910 134
2
177
4
900 75 60 608 1156 170
4
225
2
1000 77 76 754 1431 210
9
278
7

Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar pressure
Increment per 100m length
Pressurise (before
tapping through)
Look for leaks at locations of all 3 joints
i di t d
PVC SDR26 (PVC-A PN12.5, PVC-U PN8)

Diameter
(mm)
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
90 7 12 17 22 27
110 11 18 25 33 40
160 22 38 54 69 85
200 35 59 84 108 132
250 55 93 131 169 207
315 87 147 207 268 328
400 140 237 334 432 529
450 177 300 423 546 670
500 218 370 522 675 827
630 347 588 829 1071 1312

Increment per 100m length at 10C

PE100 Pipes SDR 11

Diameter
(mm)
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
63 2 4 6 8 10
90 5 9 12 16 20
110 7 13 19 24 30
125 9 16 24 31 39
160 15 27 39 51 64
180 19 34 50 65 81
225 29 53 78 102 126
250 36 66 96 126 155
280 45 83 120 158 195
315 57 105 152 199 247
355 73 133 193 253 314
400 92 169 245 322 398
500 144 263 383 502 622
560 180 330 480 630 780
630 228 418 608 798 987
710 290 531 772 1013 1254
800 368 674 980 1286 1592
1000 576 1054 1532 2010 2488


PE100 Pipes SDR 17

Diameter
(mm)
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
63 4 7 9 11 13
90 9 13 18 22 27
110 13 20 27 33 40
125 17 26 35 43 52
160 28 42 57 71 85
180 36 54 72 90 108
225 56 84 112 140 168
250 69 103 138 173 207
280 86 130 173 217 260
315 109 164 219 274 329
355 138 208 278 348 418
400 175 264 353 442 531
500 274 413 552 691 830
560 344 518 692 867 1041
630 435 656 876 1097 1318
710 553 833 1113 1393 1674
800 702 1057 1413 1769 2125
1000 1096 1652 2208 2764 3320
(i)
Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar
pressure Increment per 100m length at 10C

PE 80 Pipes SDR 11

Diameter
(mm)
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
63 3 5 7 9 10
90 6 10 14 17 21
110 9 15 20 26 32
125 11 19 26 34 41
160 18 31 43 55 67
180 23 39 54 70 85
225 36 61 85 109 133
250 45 75 105 135 165
280 57 94 131 169 206
315 72 119 166 214 261
355 91 151 211 272 332
400 115 192 268 345 421
500 180 300 419 539 658
560 226 376 526 676 826
630 286 476 666 855 1045
710 363 604 845 1086 1327
800 461 767 1073 1379 1685
1000 721 1199 1677 2155 2633

IGN 4-01-03:A5
(Page 15 of 15)
ISSN 1353-2529

PE 80 Pipes SDR 17

Diameter
(mm)
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
63 5 8 10 12 14
90 11 16 20 25 29
110 17 23 30 37 44
125 22 30 39 48 56
160 35 50 64 78 92
180 45 63 81 99 117
225 70 98 126 154 182
250 86 121 156 190 225
280 108 152 195 239 282
315 137 192 247 302 357
355 174 244 314 384 454
400 221 310 398 487 576
500 345 484 623 762 901
560 432 607 781 955 1130
630 547 768 988 1209 1430
710 695 975 1255 1536 1816
800 882 1238 1594 1950 2305
1000 1379 1935 2490 3046 3602

Estimated Water Volumes (litres) for 10 bar
pressure Increment per 100m length at 10C

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PRESSURE TESTING OF PRESSURE PIPES AND FITTINGS

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