Auger solves leaking water pipes with a ‘pea’

Expanding tech specialist for the insurance industry Auger has launched a game-changing product in partnership with innovations company Qinov8 to revolutionise the market in water leaks across the UK.

The new Aquapea leak repair system for water supply pipes is already having widespread success in its initial phase of use, cutting out disruption and time in unnecessary excavations in homes and on land near consumer and commercial premises.

Internal leaks and escape of water clams cost UK insurers an estimated £3.9m every day. There were more than 10,000 water supply pipe claims costing insurers more than £13m in 2018.

The system uses an advanced polymer material the size of a pea, which is introduced into the water supply pipe at an external meter chamber and, with the internal stop tap turned off, the polymer is drawn to the location of the leak. The flow of water carries the Aquapea along the inside of the pipe, bonding to the pipe at the position of the leak and curing within 20 minutes.

The game-changing repair system is permanent, and suitable for all common water pipe materials in homes and commercial buildings. 

Chris Cowen, Auger client relationship manager, said: "In many cases we are now able to repair a leak within 45 minutes of arriving on site without any excavation. In 40 percent of cases we can achieve a complete effective repair, avoiding excavations entirely and we are working with Qinov8 to improve the success rate."

“If no external meter chamber is in place, then an excavation at the customer’s boundary is required to install one, which allows us to deploy an Aquapea and avoid multiple excavations and customer disruption.”

“Importantly this product also saves many costly internal excavations and reinstatements in a significant number of cases. If the Aquapea is introduced and it does not fully repair the leak, it will have still reduced water loss, which could cause unseen damage. We then simply continue with a repair in the normal way by completing an excavation.”

Different sized peas can be used depending on the size of the leak. This can be calculated by the water loss per minute and monitoring the water pressure. Different setting times can be used for the polymer to allow longer supply pipes to be repaired.

Immediate and long-term benefits of a reduction in excavations by using the new system include reducing injuries and utility strikes, reducing the carbon footprint, energy-water savings and customer satisfaction.

This innovative product is exclusively offered by Auger as part of an insurance claim at no cost to the customer apart from the policy excess. There are no additional costs to the insurer.

The solution typically offers 25 per cent savings for the insurer on external water pipe claims and up to 80 per cent on internal leaks through the reduction in the disruption and cost of internal digs and reinstatement of kitchens and floor finishes.

Auger has secured an exclusive UK licence to use the Aquapea leak repair product in the Building Insurance sector from Qinov8. The Aquapea is WRAS Approved ‘for use in contact with water intended for human consumption’ and has been undergoing trials with a number of major water companies in the UK, with the first of those water companies now repairing pipes for its customers across its network.