Estimates indicate there are between 6.1 and 10.2 million lead water pipes in the U.S. with many lead pipes being found within Department of Defense (DoD)installations, contributing to aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced to ensure mission continuity. Although geophysical sensing technologies can detect metallic pipes through material contrast with surrounding geology, determining the specific pipe composition remains challenging due to diverse geological conditions and nearby infrastructure. 

The primary goal of this project is to utilize advanced, lightweight electromagnetic systems in combination with signal processing techniques to identify and map water pipe networks and material composition within DoD installations. This project aims to address the issue of pipe material identification between copper and lead by combining advanced sensor technologies with in-house developed signal processing software, providing a fast and cost-effective solution for accurately mapping water distribution systems and underground utilities at DoD facilities.

Two cutting-edge non-invasive electromagnetic induction sensing technologies—specifically the Ultra-Light Weight ElectroMagnetic Array (ULEMA) and Linear Current Sensing (LCS) —will undergo comprehensive testing and evaluation. These advanced electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensing systems, developed and refined over the past thirty years with significant investments from SERDP & ESTCP, Office of Naval Research, and the U.S. Army, feature multi-transmitter and tri-axial receiver loops. The ULEMA system is a single-pass, ultra-light low-frequency EMI induction system. It can be deployed in handheld mode or mounted on unmanned underwater, ground, and aerial platforms. Equipped with data inversion and classification software, ULEMA can map and locate subsurface anomalies and classify targets by size and material composition. Similarly, the LCS system, developed by the project team, is a lightweight system deployable in handheld, unmanned ground, and aerial modes. It is designed to detect, map, and locate subsurface elongated targets using advanced processing software. The evaluation of these technologies will be conducted in two phases:  

Phase 1 involves testing and evaluating the systems at an Environmental Protection Agency testbed site with a typical water distribution system and underground utilities.  

Phase 2 will consist of field testing at a DoD installation. During these demonstrations, the ULEMA system will be evaluated for its capability to detect, map, and locate subsurface pipelines and identify their material properties. The LCS system will be assessed for its effectiveness in detecting and locating various infrastructures, including water service lines, wires, and fiber optic cables.

The ULEMA system is designed to not only detect and locate subsurface pipes but also to non-invasively differentiate between lead and copper pipes. Likewise, the LCS system will accurately detect and pinpoint pipe locations. This approach aims to significantly reduce the cost and time required for non-invasive detection, location, and identification of subsurface lead and copper pipes. For the DoD, this could mean reducing the cost and time on efforts to excavate and replace lead and copper pipes on installations to facilitate infrastructure modernization. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2027)