This one started in the exhibit hall at ACE, AWWA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. Everywhere I looked, somebody was talking about AI, digital tools, or the next piece of technology. And then there was a dog sitting there. I knew almost immediately it belonged on The Outfall.
We’ve always loved an underdog story, and Lolita Shaffer has one. Beyond training Otis and Eleanor to find hidden water leaks, she’s working through the much bigger job of building a certification program for canine water-leak detection. That kind of commitment comes through in every story she tells. We love talking with people who are all in on an idea. Also, we all love dogs, so this one was a no-brainer.
The question that stayed with us was simple: what can a golden retriever notice that years of searching and specialized equipment missed? One of Lolita’s stories involves a leak that had been hiding for seven years. We won’t tell you where it was, what the crews had already tried, or what Otis did when he got close. That’s the part worth hearing.
Mentioned in this episode
- Featuring Lolita Shaffer, with Otis and Eleanor: K9 Water Leak Detection and K9 Water Leak Detection University, where she is helping build a certification path for canine leak-detection teams.
- Water loss: The ASCE 2021 Drinking Water Infrastructure Report Card, the source of the episode’s six-billion-gallon daily estimate.
- Another tool in the toolbox: ASTERRA’s satellite leak-detection overview, which explains how likely leak zones can be identified before crews confirm locations on the ground.
