Optimizing the water distribution network of community water supply using different computer simulation techniques

The appropriate operation of a water distribution network (WDN) of any water supply scheme is vital to supply sufficient potable water to consumers at sufficient pressure. However, the performance of the WDN may vary from the original design in the long run. In this study, a WDN network model was built using WaterGEMS and WaterCAD computer simulators, and hydraulic analyses were conducted to obtain an optimal WDN for a community water supply scheme of a village in Sri Lanka. A series of steps such as; selection of models, network representation, simulation of network, problem identification, network configuration finalization, and results analysis were carried out in developing the WDN simulation model. The hydraulic parameters such as pressure, flow velocity, and flow rate were analyzed under extended period simulation. The result indicated that the nodal pressure head in the junctions (100%) is above the required pressure level of 10 meters H₂O, which is adequate for the effective performance of the water distribution system (WDS) during peak and off-peak demand hours. The elevated water tower was optimized with a 10 m height to supply water at satisfactory pressure. Nodal pressure is negatively correlated with ground elevation. The flow velocity was observed within the range of 0.1-0.4 m/s in 67% of the pipe network, while 17% of the pipe network velocity was below 0.1 m/s. The low daily water demand of the small community could be the reason for the low-velocity scenario, which shall lead to silt deposition in the pipelines; hence frequent line washout to eliminate the silt deposition in the system is recommended. The WDN was designed for optimized pipe sizes with availability in the market.