Underground Water Pipes
Underground Water Pipes

(RFIDWorld.ca) To avoid accidentally cutting water mains and to aid in routine maintenance on water pipes, a French company is using RFID technology. To develop the technology solution, RYB said it worked alongside the French Technology Laboratory of Research CEA-Leti.

In a press release the company stated that it is naturally difficult to detect inert plastic pipes, once they are involved, thus only topographical mapping can help locate them. However, with the evolution of urban development, it is difficult to get quick and clear access to subsoils which makes it more difficult to locate the pipes. Due to this, each year thousands of water pipes are accidentally cut.

The new RFID system generated to detect the water pipes, can search up to 1.5 meters underground and provide accuracy within a few centimeters. The technology gives quick results and can work in harsh conditions such as in wetlands and moist areas underground.

The solution is called ELIOT, and it took three years of collaboration as well as a $1.5 million investment to complete. A leading provider of Polyethylene piping systems, RYB is said to be a major European player in the field of water, transport, gas and telecommunications.

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