Determining latent water losses in the water distribution networks in Samara by hydraulic model development and calibration

Summary

The Russian and international experience in water supply system management shows that the assessment of the efficiency of the solutions focused on ensuring the working capacity of a water supply and distribution system should take into account possible active search for the latent water losses in the process of the system operation. The successful solution of this task can be implemented only with the help of advanced computer technologies and appropriate software. With the purpose of improving the energy efficiency of the operating activities «Samarskie Kommunal’nye Sistemy» LLC carried out the search and subsequent elimination of the latent water losses in a localized water supply zone with a surface area of 560 hectare; Zulu Hydro hydraulic modeling program developed by «Politerm» Company and Water GEMS software developed by Bentley were approbated in practice. Based on the results of the calculations a 90 hectare area was picked out with the maximum potential unaccounted water losses. Besides, because of the occurrence of the boundaries of possible influence of the adjacent water supply zones in the designated area an assumption of the water migration was made. As a result of the elimination of the detected water losses the total water consumption in Samara lowered by 1.38%.

Key words

water supply network , hydraulic model , hydraulic model calibration , unaccounted and latent water losses , water supply local zone