A PIONEERING hi-tech system is being launched in Oxfordshire which aims to spot burst water pipes - before they happen.

Burstcast is a forecasting system designed to anticipate the number of additional busts in cast-iron underground pipes due to cold weather.

The problems caused by burst pipes are serious:

Loss of supply

Contaminated water

Costs running into thousands of pounds.

The Met Office and Thames Water have developed the system which is claimed to be able to forecast the total number of pipe failures up to four days in advance.

The information, updated daily, will allow the water company to put repair teams in the right place at the right time.

Mick Tutton, operational risk manager of Thames Water, said: "There are 31,000 kilometres of mains and 18 million joints in the Thames Water region alone, and these become very vulnerable during cold winters.

"The new Burstcast system will prove invaluable this winter in giving our customers the highest standard of service, whilst reducing subcontractor and staff costs."

Mary Clarke, a water industry consultant at The Met Office said: "Burstcast will enable water companies to improve their services throughout the winter months.

"By working in close association with Thames Water we have produced an accurate system to reduce this disruption by cast-iron pipe failure during cold spells."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.