Intermittent Operation of Water Distribution Networks Considering Equanimity and Justice Principles

Abstract

Water shortages cause intermittent operation of distribution networks in many developing countries. Under limited economic resources and frequent water shortages, the expansion of water supply for municipal use is slow and sometimes infeasible, hence supply management becomes a viable solution for operating water supply networks. One form of demand management is intermittent supply, wherein some parts of the water supply network are cut off from service during certain times and the entire network is in service at other times. Because intermittent water supply causes consumer dissatisfaction and complicates the operation of water supply networks, it is crucial to consider the principles of equanimity and justice in its implementation. This paper develops an optimization model to find the optimal scheduling of intermittent supply that reaches the maximum number of network nodes with desired pressure under various conditions of water shortage and considering the principles of equanimity and justice in a water distribution network. The network operation optimization problem is solved using the honey bee mating optimization (HBMO) algorithm linked to in a hydraulic simulator. The efficiency of the developed scheduling method is demonstrated by implementing it to two distribution networks considering different scenarios of water shortage.