Water Losses In Distribution Networks Research Articles

An Analysis of the Cost of Water Supply Linked to the Tourism Industry. An Application to the Case of the Island of Ibiza in Spain

Tourist activity has a number of impacts on the destinations in which it takes place, among which are the environmental ones. A particular problem is the increase in water demand and wastewater production, which can compromise the balance of ecosystems. As many authors point out, there is a research gap in the comparative analysis between available water resources and the demand associated with tourism. In this respect, the main objective of this work is, on the one hand, to assess the water needs linked to the tourism industry and the capacity of natural resources to meet such a demand and, on the other hand, to estimate the economic cost of the water supply associated with the growing tourist demand in a territory, such as the island of Ibiza in Spain. It has been determined that the resources available are not sufficient to meet the water demand of the resident population at this destination, which is why it is necessary to resort to producing desalinated water. Therefore, the additional requirements associated with tourism must be met fully with desalinated water, which results in an increased cost of water management for the region. This paper also points at water losses in distribution networks and tourism seasonality as two phenomena that aggravate this issue.

An Analytical Method for Designing of Municipal Water Supply and Distribution Systems

The clean Water Supply provision is one of the major factors greatly contributing to the socioeconomic transformation of a country. However, many countries have problems in fulfilling the water demand of the continuously growing population and populated areas due to the high level of water losses in distribution networks. Optimization of water distribution system design is one of critical research fields, which has been extremely productive. Its primary focus is to minimize the cost of a proposed pipe network infrastructure. The paper presents the results of research on the development of a new analytical design method that allows creating new water distribution systems or strengthening, expanding and rehabilitating existing water distribution systems, inclusive of design timing, parameter uncertainty, water quality, and other operational considerations. The method is based on the solution of hydraulic problem of a linear pipeline and the use of the newly developed software set for studying hydraulic processes. The solution is determined in the Mixed Integer Programming - MIP and Discontinuous Nonlinear Programming - DNLP connection modes. As research results show it is possible to expand and solve the problems of finding the locations of branching optimal lines connecting the sources (main distribution systems) and consumers. The task set and its solution opens a whole range of opportunities for its successful application in the most diverse branches of science and production.

Choosing a Water Distribution Pipe Rehabilitation Solution Using the Analytical Network Process Method

One of the major challenges faced by water companies around the world is the high level of water losses in distribution networks. This research paper presents a case study on the choice of the best technical solution for the rehabilitation of the water distribution network pipelines of Cluj-Napoca City, Romania. The analytical network process (ANP) method was used as the selection method, and calculations were performed using the Super Decisions 2.6.0 software. In the case study, five alternatives were analyzed based on seven criteria. The criteria taken into account in the decision-making included pipe diameter, pipe length, specific accomplishment duration, lifespan, pressure losses, price, and installation conditions, while the following methods were considered as rehabilitation alternatives: Compact Pipe, Slipline, Subline, Swagelining, and Pilot Pipe. Based on the highest global priority, we recommend choosing the Subline alternative as the method of rehabilitating water distribution pipes from asbestos cement pipes in the case of Cluj-Napoca City, Romania.

Decision model to control water losses in distribution networks

The losses in the urban water supply networks have become a growing concern. There are several alternatives for the quantification, detection and monitoring of water losses. However, in general, water companies have budgetary and other constraints that hinder implementation. Therefore, this paper presents a model to aid the selection of a subset of preventive maintenance actions to control water losses while accounting for the water companies’ restrictions. The model combines an additive multi-attribute value analysis by applying the SMARTER method to evaluate alternatives with Integer Linear Programming (ILP). The model shows to be efficient in order to achieve a portfolio of preventive maintenance actions, particularly when the decision maker considers that, there is a compensation for attribute evaluations.

Evaluation of water losses in distribution networks: Rammallah as a case study

Water is one of the most valuable natural resources in Palestine. Therefore, it is very crucial for the Palestinians to achieve proper planning and management of their water resources to ensure proper usage of their water in the different sectors. Moreover, many of the Palestinian localities still lack the existence of water networks while many others suffer from the poor conditions and high losses in their networks that reach up to 50% of the input into the supply system. The paper will present a method to determine water losses from distribution networks and procedures of reducing it in a practical way. The method is based on three main steps: (1) tracing leaks of the supply districts or pipe sections by means of tightness tests and measuring minimum night flow; (2) pinpointing the leaks using the electro-acoustic techniques by DF Junior device and (3) repairing leaks. Consequently, the amount of leakage for the study area was largely reduced (from 5.6 L/sec to 0.16 L/sec).

Evaluation of Water Losses in Distribution Networks

A method to determine water losses from distribution networks, domestic connections, unauthorized connections, and domestic meters is presented. This method is based on stratified random sampling and leak flow gauging at connections, observation of users with low monthly consumptions, verification of house flow meters, and measurements in hydrometric districts. The results allow for the identification and causation of water losses in different areas of a city and for planning the actions that must be programmed to prevent additional losses. The method was applied to the drinking water distribution networks in 15 Mexican cities. Of the water supplied to urban distribution systems 24.5 is lost from house connection leaks, 10.6 from defects in mains and secondary lines, and 1.3 due to meter underregistry.