Decreasing Leakage and Operational Cost for BBLAWN

Abstract

The solution approach proposed in this paper is on the basis of trial-and-error methodology, using heuristic methods with simulation at the battle of background leakage assessment for water networks (BBLAWN). To achieve the optimal solution, customized researched tools were developed for water distribution system (WDS) optimization. These include subroutines for: optimization of water tanks levels to switch pumps on and off; estimation of the influence of the pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) on leakages, to make a decision whether there is a justification for adding a PRV to a pipe or not; calculation of leakages under different conditions; and replacing old pipes with new ones. For design decisions, commercially available tools were also used, carrying out comparison of various network structures (parallel pipe alternatives). The final result included the installation of 80 PRVs, the replacement of 370 pipes, and the change of 2 pump elements; the pumping schedule, on the basis of water tank levels, was also optimized.