An Optimal Upgrading Framework for Water Distribution Systems Operation

Abstract

Water distribution systems (WDSs) are essential elements for the prosperity and development of societies around the globe. However, over time, the pipeline network starts to age and deteriorate, which results in an increasing rate of breaks and water loss due to leakages. Many countries have started government-funded plans to upgrade and rehabilitate their WDS network components to overcome these challenges. This study proposes an optimization framework that addresses these issues and offers potential benefits. It aims to achieve the optimal upgrading strategies considering network operation (hydraulic) performance and upgrading cost, including investment and non-revenue water costs. The upgrade of the WDS network in the model consists of replacing pipes and controlling the pressure-reducing valve (PRV) settings to reduce leakages. The proposed framework is demonstrated using a small-sized benchmark WDS. The study’s outcomes provide the utilities’ operators and municipalities’ decision-makers with a guiding tool to choose the optimal upgrading strategy for their WDS networks at the lowest cost and optimum operation performance. The methodology involves simulating various leakage scenarios and applying optimization techniques to find the best combination of pipe replacements and PRV settings. This approach ensures a balance between minimizing leakage rates and controlling upgrading costs. The framework achieved a reduction of leakage up to 20% from the original leakage with a 70% probability for the tested benchmark network. The optimization framework can also offer a range of upgrading strategies, with a trade-off between the WDS network leakage reduction and the required cost of the upgrading strategy.