Pup sniffing out leaks in Mansfield

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Mansfield’s water department has a new way to spot leaks – and it’s giving everyone in the department a warm, fuzzy feeling.

River, a 17-month-old black Labrador mix pup, has been put to work sniffing out leaks for the utility department.

“The water meter tells us if we have a leak in the residential (utilities),” said Adam Stark, assistant director of public works. “There’s no way of finding a leak on the distribution side. We just have to wait until the water surfaces.”

Until now.

Alex Whiteway, the former assistant utility director, started searching for ways to track down leaks in Mansfield’s infrastructure.

“Alex was researching and came across the (water leak detection dog) program,” Stark said. “It actually started in Australia.”

Mansfield’s utility department started looking for a dog, and found a hometown boy, River, in the Mansfield Animal Shelter when he was 6 months old.

“We were looking for a dog with high drive, and Labradors are known for that,” said Blan, a senior utility inspector, and River’s handler.

River went to train with Vessel, the first water-detecting dog in the United States, at Water Leak Detection Dogs LLC in Roland, Ark. The training for him and Blan cost approximately $12,000, Stark said.

“ASTERRA (an international company) determines where leaks are likely with satellites scans,” Stark explained. “They can narrow it down to a 300-foot radius.”

That’s when River and Blan go to work.

“River has a working vest and a harness,” Blan said. “As soon as I put on his working vest and harness, he knows it’s time to go to work. I say ‘Find leak,’ and put him on a 20-foot leash.”

When River smells a leak, he scratches the ground and sits, Blan explained. He’s actually not smelling the water, but the chlorine gas in it, which can be challenging.

When looking for a leak, Blan starts by looking where the grass might be greener, then works with River in a grid pattern until the dog pinpoints the leak.

“The first job we had a swimming pool made it more challenging in the acre yard,” Blan said. “And the wind was blowing.”

Since starting work in November, River and Blan have detected a leaking water valve on North Main Street and a busted copper pipe running from a meter to a home.

River can detect a leak even 5 to 6 feet underground, Stark said.

Even a small hole caused by a pebble rubbing against a pipe can leak 2 gallons a minute, which adds up to a million gallons in a year, Stark said. That would cost up to $3,300 per year, and could go on indefinitely with no way to find the leak.

“I had never heard of anything like this, but I thought it was awesome,” said Blan, who volunteered for the additional duty.

River, who lives with Blan, is full of energy and curious about everything, Blan said. He loves treats and toys, especially tennis balls, and is super sociable.

“There’s obviously the public side,” Stark said. “It gives us the opportunity to have a conversation with the public and gives us something to find leaks. We’re being more proactive about finding leaks.”