Leak Location

The Electrical Leak Location method is an accurate performance test of a completed lining system. As a quality assurance tool, it is an excellent way to check the overall continuity of a liner system. The Electrical Leak Location technique is often half the cost of third-party Quality Assurance methods yet provides precise containment verification.

The Electrical Leak Location method has several requirements to ensure accurate and conclusive results. One necessary precaution is eliminating or limiting the electrical grounding points between the inside and outside liner installation. Any electrical path from the surveyed water or soil to the subgrade outside the liner will create a signal that looks like a leak. These ground faults can also be caused by concrete or steel structures within the pond, steel pipe penetrations, batten bars on structures, and soil cover materials that connect to the subgrade. A less obvious but prevalent ground fault is a steel valve body that can be located in a plastic pipe that penetrates the liner. Layfield can assist the designer by supplying details that will eliminate ground faults when designing the lining system.