Author(s): Daniela Bonazzi Sodek; Andre Luis Sotero Salustiano Martim; Laura Maria Canno Ferreira Fais; Jose Gilberto Dalfre Filho; Edevar Luvizotto Junior

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Keywords: Water distribution system; Water consumption; Water conservation; Water loss; Pressure reduction

Abstract: The quick urban population growth experienced around the world, has put many aspects of sustainability into perspective, amongst others, the efficiency of water distribution systems. Although water conservation should be the target, a substantial part of produced water is still lost thorough the distribution system. Water losses in a water distribution system refers to the volume of water produced but not consumed (real loss), or consumed but not charged (apparent loss). To reduce real water loss, pressure reduction has shown to be effective. The Fixed and Variable Area Discharge Paths theory (FAVAD) is used to estimate the impact of pressure on leakage volume. Likewise, FAVAD theory has been used to estimate consumption reduction due to pressure reduction. The operation of water distribution systems with lower pressure would not only reduce real losses and burst frequency, but also reduce some elements of consumption, therefore diminishing the demand. Although consumption reduction maybe seen as loss of revenue, it is a way to prevent water distribution systems expansions and promote water conservation, when operating the system at a lower pressure. This work studies consumption data and, by using statistics hypothesis test, estimates the potential consumption reduction of operating the distribution systems at lower pressures. The study compares the consumption data of two district metering areas (DMAs) of Palmas city, Tocantins, Brazil. The database presents two years consumption for one DMA operating at 15 mH2O (1.5 bar) with 285 connections and another operating at 57.1 mH2O (5.7 bars) with 436 connections. As a result, the costumer of the DMA operating with the highest pressure consumed 1.28m3 more in average, than the costumer of the DMA operating with the lowest pressure.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/IAHR-39WC252171192022526

Year: 2022