Reliability Analysis of Water Distribution System using Benchmark Table

Suja S. Nair () and P. L. Meyyappan ()
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Suja S. Nair: Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Anand Nagar
P. L. Meyyappan: Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Anand Nagar

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2025, vol. 39, issue 8, No 25, 4093-4113

Abstract: Abstract The growing population requires a reliable and sufficient water supply through an efficiently designed pipe network. Evaluating and simulating water quality in a water distribution system (WDS) is essential to consistently deliver high-quality water. This research conducts a reliability analysis of WDS using a benchmark table. The percentage of acceptable infrastructure damage is first calculated to establish the reliability benchmark. This benchmark table is validated using networks such as the Any Town Network, EXNET Network, and Richmond Network. The derived reliability table is applied to assess the water distribution network (WDN) in Elamkunnapuzha, Njarakkal, and Nayarambalam Panchayats, Zone II B, Cochin, Kerala. The reliability of the WDN is compared with benchmark data and the original network type. Finally, different network configurations are created, and their reliability is compared with the original networks. The research compares the reliability of various network types, including the dead end, gridiron, ring, and radial systems, and their performance against benchmark data. According to the result, the gridiron system is the optimal solution for the existing network due to its superior dependability, flow rate, and damage tolerance. The dead-end system has a significantly lower flow rate, with the largest drop being 26.2% for a 0.3 m diameter pipe. The gridiron system can sustain flow above the benchmark, with a maximum flow rate of 56% even after 45% cumulative damage. However, the ring system is less cost-effective due to its 72 km length. The radial system, with an 85% flow rate after damage, is commercially unfeasible due to increased expenses and infrastructure difficulties. Consequently, the gridiron system is the study network’s most balanced and viable choice.

Keywords: Water distribution system; Reliability analysis; EPANET; Dead end system; Grid iron aystem; Ring aystem; Radial aystem (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-025-04147-0

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