Transitioning of Urban Water Distribution Systems

Abstract

The upgrade of urban water distribution systems (UWDS) amidst uncertain global change pressures is a challenging problem. To deal with this dilemma water utilities require approaches that enable UWDS to be transitioned at a minimal technical and socio-economic impact as uncertainties become known. A review of approaches for upgrading UWDS shows that existing cost models are skewed towards operation and maintenance costs without consideration for future transitionability. This thesis describes approaches for the sustainable transition of UWDS and their application on case studies. The thesis develops a conceptual framework for the analysis of UWDS transitions. It then develops a Socio-economic Impact Indicator (SII) framework based on Multi Criteria Decision Analysis and the Analytical Hierarchical Process to estimate impacts in an urban area due to UWDS transitions. It also develops an approach for modelling socio-technical transitions based on multinomial logistic regression. The thesis then develops an UWDS transition design approach that considers not only operation and maintenance costs (leakage and burst costs) but also transitionability and future socio-technical impacts costs. The developed approaches have been tested on case studies as proof of concept. Maximum cost saving can be realised when existing UWDS are upgraded with consideration of future UWDS transitionability.