GPRS Leak Detection Keeps Families Safe at Thornhill Elementary School

• Water was surfacing in the school’s main drop-off and entrance area, a high-traffic zone where students arrive each morning
• Algae growth created a slip, trip, and fall hazard for children running in and out of the entrance
• The building was approximately 100 years old, with a water system that had been expanded over the years, making it difficult to identify which shutoff valve controlled the affected line
• Thick layers of asphalt concealed the piping and buried water valves, complicating access
• The school could not suspend operations, so GPRS had to ensure a safe working environment for themselves, the parents, and the students

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• Acoustic leak inspection was utilized at the point of the surfaced water, providing a faint, widespread leak signal
• The Project Manager then located and mapped multiple water lines and utilities to find the pressurized pipe running through the affected zone
• With the pipe path confirmed, the Project Manager drilled access holes through the thick asphalt so he could insert a ground probe and listen closer to the pipe, bringing the acoustic signal within range of his microphone
• The combination of utility locating and targeted acoustic detection allowed the Project Manager to pinpoint the leak location despite the noise, depth, and site congestion
• Previously unknown buried water valves discovered during the process were documented, giving the district new insight into their own aging infrastructure

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• The leak was precisely located, allowing the Oakland School District to move forward with repairs and eliminate the slip-and-fall hazard at the school entrance
• By pairing leak detection with utility locating, GPRS delivered a complete picture of the water system, identifying not only where the leak was but also how the piping was routed and where unknown valves were buried
• SiteMap^® documentation gave the district a lasting digital record of their subsurface infrastructure, reducing guesswork on future repairs
• GPRS’ ongoing collaboration with the Oakland School District enabled the team to arrive prepared, work efficiently, and complete the job with minimal disruption to the school day

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