The sampling frequency and quantity of time series data collected from water distribution systems has been increasing in recent years, giving rise to the potential for improving system knowledge if suitable automated techniques can be applied, in particular, machine learning. Novelty (or anomaly) detection refers to the automatic identification of novel or abnormal patterns embedded in large amounts of “normal” data. When dealing with time series data (transformed into vectors), this means abnormal events embedded amongst many normal time series points. The support vector machine is a data-driven statistical technique that has been developed as a tool for classification and regression. The key features include statistical robustness with respect to non-Gaussian errors and outliers, the selection of the decision boundary in a principled way, and the introduction of nonlinearity in the feature space without explicitly requiring a nonlinear algorithm by means of kernel functions. In this research, support vector regression is used as a learning method for anomaly detection from water flow and pressure time series data. No use is made of past event histories collected through other information sources. The support vector regression methodology, whose robustness derives from the training error function, is applied to a case study.

Water distribution systems, and other infrastructures, are increasingly being pervaded by sensing technologies, collecting a growing volume of data aimed at supporting operational and investment decisions. These sensors monitor system characteristics, i.e. flows, pressures and water quality, such as in pipes. This paper presents the application of pattern matching techniques and binary associative neural networks for novelty detection in such data. A protocol for applying pattern matching to automatically recognise specific waveforms in time series based on their shapes is described together with a system called Advanced Uncertain Reasoning Architecture (AURA) Alert for autonomous determination of novelty. AURA is a class of binary neural network that has a number of advantages over standard artificial neural network techniques for condition monitoring including a sound theoretical basis to determine the bounds of the system operation. Results from application to several case studies are provided including both hydraulic and water quality data. In the case of pattern matching, the results demonstrated some transferability of burst patterns across District Metered Areas; however limitations in performance and difficulties with assembling pattern libraries were found. Results for the AURA system demonstrate the potential for robust event detection across multiple parameters providing valuable information for diagnosis; one example also demonstrates the potential for detection of precursor information, vital for proactive management.