Electro Scan Swordfish™ Lead Pipe Detection and Leak Location System

Accurate, Digital Leak & Lead Service Line Defect Location for Any Pipe Material

Water utilities and contractors face mounting pressure to reduce non-revenue water, meet regulatory standards, and verify the true condition of water service lines—especially as lead service line replacement programs accelerate. With more PVC, HDPE, copper, galvanized steel, and legacy lead lines in active replacement workflows, utilities need a tool that can deliver verifiable, material-independent defect data. Acoustic tools struggle on newer pipe materials and cannot reliably assess lead lines, while pressure-loss testing often leaves crews guessing.

The Electro Scan Swordfish™ delivers a smarter, more defensible approach.

Using low-voltage conductive technology—not sound, not correlation, not pressure-loss estimates—Swordfish provides precise, repeatable, and verifiable leak and defect detection inside pressurized water service lines, including lead. It works across a wide range of materials and diameters, integrates seamlessly with GIS reporting systems, and fits directly into existing crew workflows without excavation.

Available through Eastcom Associates, Swordfish gives utilities a modern, data-driven solution to locate leaks, verify lead service line integrity, and assess aging infrastructure with confidence.

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Why Utilities Choose the Swordfish™

Works Across Multiple Pipe Materials 

Before purchasing, utilities need to know: Will it work on the materials in my network?
Swordfish is compatible with:

• Lead service lines
  
• Copper
  
• Galvanized steel
  
• PVC
  
• HDPE
  
• Other common potable water service materials
  

Because the system inspects from inside the pressurized line, consider whether internal access is available via curb stops, meter pits, or service connections—exactly where Swordfish is designed to operate.

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Industry-Leading Accuracy & Verification—Critical for Lead Service Line Programs

Accuracy is the #1 reason utilities choose Swordfish.

The system detects:

• Exact leak location (sub-meter)
  
• Leak size and severity
  
• Small, quiet defects that acoustic tools miss
  
• Defects and pathways in lead service lines
• Real conductivity-based leak flow paths
  

Utilities often compare Swordfish against acoustic listening devices, correlators, pressure testing, and CCTV. Swordfish consistently provides direct defect measurement, not subjective interpretation—making it ideal for compliance reporting, lead line verification, and capital planning.

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Fits Seamlessly Into Field Operations

Swordfish is designed for real-world field conditions:

• Inserts through existing meter pits, curb stops, or service connections
  
• Shutdown and excavation are not typically required
  
• Fast inspection speed
  
• Crews can deploy with standard tools
  
• Minimal disruption to service
  

The ease of insertion and removal is a major reason utilities choose Swordfish over more complex or excavation-heavy inspection methods—especially when assessing widespread lead service line inventories.

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How the Technology Works

Swordfish introduces a safe, low-voltage electrical signal into a pressurized water service line. Where water escapes—through a crack, hole, break, or defective joint—the current flows outward, revealing the defect location and severity.

This method is:

• Repeatable
  
• Independent of soil type, noise, or pipe material
  
• More reliable than acoustic sound interpretation
  
• Exceptionally effective on lead, PVC, and HDPE
  

The system automatically logs readings and transmits data for reporting and GIS integration.

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Applications

Municipal Water & Utility Operations

• Leak detection on service lines
  
• Lead service line investigations & documentation
  
• PVC & HDPE leak mapping
  
• Prioritization for replacement or rehabilitation
  
• Validation of repairs or contractor work
  
• Compliance with state or EPA reporting standards
  

Utility Contractors

• Faster troubleshooting
  
• Post-repair verification
  
• Documentation for bid packages
  
• Asset condition assessment for private systems
  

Engineering / Consulting Firms

• Capital improvement studies
  
• CIRP planning
  
• Water-loss audits
  
• Lead service line replacement programs
  

Core Features

• Compatible with copper, galvanized steel, lead, PVC, HDPE & more
  
• Accurate, conductive-based leak location
  
• Identifies leak severity, not just presence
  
• Works in pressurized systems
  
• Fast, simple deployment
  
• Cloud-based reporting & GIS integration
  
• Portable and field-hardened design
  

Technical Specifications

• Compatible Diameters: Service-line-sized diameters
  
• Materials: Copper, steel, lead, PVC, HDPE
  
• Insertion Access: Meter pits, curb stops, service connections
  
• Method: Low-voltage electrical conductivity
  
• Reporting: Cloud-based ES Suite
  
• GIS Compatibility: Esri & other platforms
  
• Output: Leak location, size, severity
  
• Power: Battery-operated handheld unit
  
• Durability: Waterproof, corrosion-resistant probe
  

Data Integration & Reporting

A key consideration for modern utilities—especially those managing lead service line reporting mandates—is how easily inspection data feeds into current systems.

Swordfish automatically:

• Logs the exact location and defect metadata
  
• Syncs to Electro Scan's ES Suite cloud platform
  
• Exports to GIS systems such as Esri
  
• Generates compliance-ready PDF or digital leak reports
  
• Supports documentation for NRW and lead service line inventory requirements
  

With fewer manual steps, utilities eliminate reporting gaps and improve audit accuracy.

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Field Usability, Training & Crew Adoption

Swordfish was designed for operational crews, not specialists. Most teams can be trained and scanning the same day—critical as utilities scale up lead service line checks across thousands of connections.

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Battery Life, Durability & Field Hardening

Swordfish meets real-world demands with:

• Long battery life suitable for daily inspection routes
  
• Waterproof, corrosion-resistant probe
  
• Flexible cable construction designed for insertion and retrieval
  
• Electronics protected from impact and vibration
  

These durability factors directly influence the tool's ROI.

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Regulatory & Compliance Advantages

Many utilities are adopting Swordfish to meet:

• Lead service line mandates & inventory reporting
  
• State-level water loss reporting requirements
  
• EPA compliance programs
  
• Infrastructure funding documentation
  
• Verified post-repair and post-rehab assessments
  

Because Swordfish provides verifiable quantitative data, it supports transparent reporting and defensible capital planning—especially for lead line replacements.

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ROI: How Swordfish Pays for Itself

Decision-makers often calculate ROI based on:

• Fewer unnecessary excavations
  
• Faster inspections
  
• Reduced contractor rework
  
• Accurate prioritization of replacements
  
• Decreased non-revenue water losses
  
• Efficient verification of lead line conditions
  

For many utilities, inspecting a relatively small number of service lines covers the investment in the device.

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Get Pricing or Schedule a Demo

Ready to add digital, conductivity-based leak and lead service line detection to your water system?

Contact us today to request a quote, schedule a demonstration, or speak with a product specialist.

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