Water Network-Failure Data Assessment

Katarzyna Pietrucha-Urbanik,Barbara Tchórzewska-Cieślak,Mohamed Eid

doi:10.3390/en13112990

Katarzyna Pietrucha-Urbanik, Barbara Tchórzewska-Cieślak + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en13112990

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Abstract

The water-supply system is one of the basic and most important critical infrastructures. Water supply service disruption (water quality or quantity) may have serious consequences in modern societies. Water supply service is subject to various failure modes. Failure modes are specified by their degradation mechanisms, criticality, occurrence frequency and intensity. These failure modes have a random nature that impacts on the network disruption indicators, such as disruption frequency, network downtime, network repair time and network back-to-service time, i.e., the network resilience. This paper focuses on the water leakage failure mode. The water leakage failure mode assessment considers the unavoidable annual real water losses and the infrastructure leakage index recommended by the International Water Association’s Water Loss Task Force specialist group. Probabilistic statistical modelling was implemented to assess the seasonal index, the failure rates and the expectation value of the “mean time between failures.” The assessment is based on real operational data of the network. Specific attention is paid to the sensitivity of failures to seasonal variations. The presented methodology of the analysis of the water leakage failure mode is extendable to other failure modes and can help in developing new strategies in the management of the water-supply system in normal operation and crisis situations.

Highlights

The network must supply consumers with a required amount of water of a specific quality at an acceptable price
Detailed analyses of potential risks leading to the water supply service disruption must be carried out in order to construct a comprehensive programme of system safety management [3,4]
In each of the examined years, the water supply network is characterized by a high failure rate

Summary

Introduction

The network must supply consumers with a required amount of water of a specific quality at an acceptable price. The World Health Organization published guidelines (2004) for the application of water safety plans in which it recommends the analysis of the supply chain underpinning the water intended for human consumption. The water supply service disruption can cause a crisis with the consequence of a “loss of safety for consumers” [1,2]. This explains the critical importance of the development of emergency plans to manage the continuity of the drinking water supply in various critical situations. Detailed analyses of potential risks leading to the water supply service disruption must be carried out in order to construct a comprehensive programme of system safety management [3,4]. The water-distribution network consists mainly of the pipe network, with mains, distribution pipes, service connections, and such specific fittings as gate valves, check valves, hydrants, drainage, aeration and flow meters

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