Four Case Studies for WRF 4917 — Using Smart Water Networks for Manage Pressure and Flow for Reduction of Water Loss and Pipe Breaks

A smart utility approach and smart water network (SWN) technologies provide promising methods to reduce main breaks and water leaks. The benefits from a smart utility approach are created by leveraging real-time data from sensors into actionable information by integrating water processes with information technology (IT) and communication technologies to improve detection, management, and prevention of pressure and flow changes causing stress within a distribution system. This WRF project is ongoing with four SWN pilots underway at both large and small utilities to confirm SWN technologies. With results from a series of case studies and lessons learned, it provides the basis for the guidance manual on best practices to manage pressure and flow, resulting in the reduction of water loss and pipe breaks. Example technologies with these pilots include: (1) implementing a real-time hydraulic model with remote sensor input to support operations during pipe burst events with the ability to run scenarios quickly, (2) use of smart customer meters and a smartphone app to assess customer behaviors around consumption and real-time reporting of leaks, (3) use of high-frequency pressure monitoring along with an analytics platform to identify leaks before turning into larger main breaks and (4) use of pressure monitoring equipment and transient pressure monitoring as an indicator of leaks and main breaks. During this presentation, we will discuss an overview and preliminary findings of the four utilities that performed pilots under this Water Research Foundation sponsored project. The four cases studies include: (1) City of Lakewood CA, (2) Water and Wastewater Authority of Wilson County TN, (3) Sydney Water Sydney Australia, and (4) Water Corporation of Western Australia and various smart utility approaches to solve network problems such as water loss.