Combining Geographic Information Systems and Hydraulic Modeling to Analyze the Hydraulic Response of an Urban Area Under Different Conditions: A Case Study to Assist Engineering Practice

Panagiota Galiatsatou (), Panagiota Stournara, Ioannis Kavouras, Michail Raouzaios, Christos Anastasiadis, Filippos Iosifidis, Dimitrios Spyrou and Alexandros Mentes
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Panagiota Galiatsatou: Executive Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company S.A. (EYATH S.A.), 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece
Panagiota Stournara: Executive Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company S.A. (EYATH S.A.), 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ioannis Kavouras: Executive Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company S.A. (EYATH S.A.), 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece
Michail Raouzaios: Drinking Water and Sewerage Engineer, 67000 Strasbourg, France
Christos Anastasiadis: Hydromanagement Consulting Ltd., 54624 Thessaloniki, Greece
Filippos Iosifidis: Hydromanagement Consulting Ltd., 54624 Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimitrios Spyrou: Executive Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company S.A. (EYATH S.A.), 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece
Alexandros Mentes: Executive Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company S.A. (EYATH S.A.), 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece

Geographies, 2025, vol. 5, issue 2, 1-25

Abstract: Detailed hydraulic modeling of a water distribution network (WDN) in an urban area is implemented therein, based on data from geoinformatic tools (GIS), to investigate and analyze the network’s hydraulic response to different scenarios of operation. A detailed mapping of the water meters of the consumers in the urban district is therefore conducted in the frame of a District Metered Area (DMA) zoning. Different consumptions according to water meters and patterns of daily water demand, resulting from both theoretical and measured data from a limited number of smart meters, are used in the hydraulic simulations. The analysis conducted assists common engineering practice to identify critical locations for constructing new hydraulic infrastructure, resulting in the restructuring and reorganization of the DMA, assisting to face existing and common problems of WDNs within the general framework of DMA design and efficient water management. A case study on the WDN of Efkarpia, located in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, satisfying the principal design criteria of DMAs, is presented in this work, under both normal and emergency conditions. Hydraulic analysis is performed based on different scenarios, mainly consisting of different consumptions according to water meters and different demand patterns, all resulting in high pressures in the southern part of the DMA. Hydraulic simulations are then performed considering two basic operating scenarios, namely the operation of the old DMA of Efkarpia and a new DMA, which is reduced in size. The two scenarios are compared in terms of estimated pressures in the studied area, as well as in terms of energy consumption in the upstream pumping station. The comparisons reveal that the new DMA outperforms the old one, with a large increase in the pressure at nodes where low pressures were assessed in the old DMA, a reduction in daily pressure variation up to 45%, and quite significant energy savings assessed around 21.6%.

Keywords: geographic information systems (GISs); hydraulic simulation; district metered area (DMA); water demand pattern; energy savings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q15 Q5 Q53 Q54 Q56 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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