Potential impact of natural hazards on water supply systems in Alpine regions

One of the most important aspects in water supply management is supply security. In this article a methodology is introduced to first identify vulnerable sites of a water supply system (WSS) and second to estimate the potential effect of alpine natural hazards on this system. The approach serves for the definition of zones with low, medium and high potential risk by combining vulnerability and hazard maps. This approach enables the possibility to accomplish prevention measures on risky sites considering the available budget. A management support tool (VulNetWS - Vulnerability of Water Supply Networks) is developed which quantifies vulnerability based on hydraulic and quality simulations assuming component failure of each single WSS component. Hazards of flooding, landslide, debris flow and avalanches are calculated and categorized in potential low, medium and high hazard zones. For this analysis different GIS data sets (e.g. Austrian hazard zone maps, HORA “Flood Risk Zoning”) are used. The methodology is presented by applying it upon an alpine region encompassing the municipality of Kitzbühel (Tyrol - Austria) and 4 neighbouring municipalities. The combination of vulnerability and hazard is summarized using a risk matrix that highlights a zone of 0.42 square kilometres within the study area as being potentially risky.

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Multiple-steps scenario optimisation for pumping plants activation in water supply systems

Journal of Hydroinformatics ◽

10.2166/hydro.2021.082 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jacopo Napolitano ◽

Giovanni M. Sechi

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Energy Savings ◽

Energy Requirements ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Economic Aspects ◽

Water Demands ◽

Definition Of ◽

Supply Systems ◽

Modelling Approach ◽

Strategic Rules

Abstract Economic aspects concerning the high costs related to energy requirements for managing complex water supply systems need a robust strategy, particularly considering the activation of pumping plants. Considering hydrological uncertainties, the definition of strategic rules can ensure energy savings and the well-timed activation of costly water transfers for shortage risk alleviation. The modelling approach has been developed aiming at defining strategic rules of pumps activation thresholds. It considers the need for seasonal variations of activation and the different costs of energy in diverse time slots, according to the usual cost rules adopted by the authorities. Starting with the traditional scenario analysis approach, a new algorithm has been developed considering a multiple-steps scenario optimisation implemented using GAMS interfaced with CPLEX solvers. The results should allow the water authority to establish a robust strategy for pumping activation to guarantee the fulfilment of water demands and to ensure an energy-saving policy.

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Optimization of the energy management in water supply systems

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2009.768 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 59-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

F. Vieira ◽

H. M. Ramos

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Hydraulic System ◽

High Energy ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Time Step ◽

Water Turbine ◽

Pumping Schedules ◽

Definition Of ◽

Hydraulic Simulator ◽

Supply Systems

Water supply systems frequently present high-energy consumption, which correspond to the major expenses of these systems. Energy costs are a function of real consumption and the daily energy tariff. This paper presents a model of optimization to guarantee the delivery of enough water to populations, for each day. Although, in order to achieve that, energy for pumping is needed, representing the main cost for the companies that operate the systems. The model, developed in MATLAB®, provides the best solution to take in each time step. Simultaneously the population water consumption must be guaranteed, and the hydraulic system restrictions fulfilled. The definition of optimal pumping schedules allows the reduction of operation and maintenance costs associated with pumping energy, as well as the increase of global hydraulic system efficiency. The rules are subsequently introduced into a hydraulic simulator (EPANET), to verify the system behaviour along the simulation period. In addiction, a water turbine is introduced in one of the system's branches. The economical benefits from the generated energy from the water turbine can not be neglected and the wind complementary turbine for pumping supply provides also significant economical savings.

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Influence of drinking water from water supply systems on the occurrence of urolithiasis in residents of the Primorsky territory in 1991–2015

Hygiene and Sanitation ◽

10.47470/0016-9900-2021-100-4-300-306 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 100 (4) ◽

pp. 300-306

Author(s):

Victor K. Koval’chuk ◽

Dmitry V. Maslov

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Water Supply ◽

Geographical Distribution ◽

Magnesium Deficiency ◽

Total Hardness ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Calcium And Magnesium ◽

Supply Systems

Introduction. The imbalance of macroelements in the soft low-mineralized drinking water of the Primorsky Territory water supply systems can be a risk factor for developing many somatic diseases in the population. Aim: hygienic identification of the mineral composition components of drinking water, posing a risk factor for urolithiasis in children, adolescent, and adult populations over a 25-year follow-up period. Methods include identification of formal statistical relationships between mean annual content of iron, silicon, manganese, calcium, magnesium, sodium, total hardness in drinking water (534 water pipes and 1929 wells), and incidence of urolithiasis in the population (34 administrative areas) by rank correlation analysis, identification cause-effect relations on medical-statistical and hygienic criteria, assessment of the geographical distribution of the attributive risk of urolithiasis at the population level. Results. The relation “cause-effect” has been established between the paired ratio of calcium and magnesium in drinking water and incidence of urolithiasis in adults, adolescents, and children. Increased concentrations of silicon, manganese, and iron in drinking water do not affect the studied incidence level. The maximum risk of urolithiasis in the population is mainly located in the North and East of the Primorsky Territory. Conclusions. An imbalance of calcium and magnesium against a background of magnesium deficiency in tap and well water is the priority risk factor of aquatic origin for urolithiasis in the Primorsky Territory; the features of the geographical distribution of the immediate risk of urolithiasis among the population make it possible to form a scientifically based plan for the sequence of implementation of primary prevention measures for this disease in the region.

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A Decision Support Tool for Water Supply System Decentralization via Distribution Network Sectorization

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9040642 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 642

Author(s):

Oscar T. Vegas Niño ◽

Fernando Martínez Alzamora ◽

Velitchko G. Tzatchkov

Keyword(s):

Decision Support ◽

Water Supply ◽

Industrial Development ◽

Distribution Network ◽

Network Models ◽

Decision Support Tool ◽

Supply System ◽

Water Supply System ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Support Tool

Many water supply systems, conceived to operate in centralized manner, face difficulties to adapt to dynamic changes, such as population growth, city extension, and industrial development. Decentralization of these systems may be an effective solution. Known techniques for distribution network sectorization design can help to achieve such a goal, but this has not been recognized in the literature. None of those known techniques considers the conversion of a centralized system to a decentralized one. In this paper, two new distinct yet complementary methodologies for water supply system decentralization by distribution network sectorization are proposed and implemented in a software decision support tool freely available on internet. The first methodology identifies the main flow paths from water sources to some strategic nodes and considers the nodes in these paths as new potential sources for dividing the rest of the network. The second methodology sectorizes the network according to the contribution of sources to the consumption at nodes, based on mass balance equations for the transport of a hypothetical conservative constituent in a steady state. Both methods were applied to two real network models. The results obtained were better, for decentralizing the supply, compared to those obtained by other methodologies proposed in the literature.

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Safety Problems of Small Water Supply Systems

Journal of Konbin ◽

10.1515/jok-2016-0003 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 51-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara Tchórzewska-Cieślak ◽

Katarzyna Pietrucha-Urbanik ◽

Dawid Szpak

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Water Supply ◽

Safety Assessment ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Supply System ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Small Water ◽

Consumer Safety ◽

Definition Of ◽

Supply Systems

Abstract The paper presents issues related to risks associated with the operation of small water supply systems on the background of water consumer safety assessment made on the basis of risk analysis. Definition of water consumer safety loss as a risk associated with the water consumption of poor quality or water lack was proposed. For this purpose, a three-parameter matrix is implemented with the parameters of the probability of a representative accident scenario, the losses of the water consumers and their protection. Risk management, together with the implementation of protective barriers of small water supply system against threats is a fundamental condition for the continued operation of the system.

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Simulating development strategies for water supply systems

Journal of Hydroinformatics ◽

10.2166/hydro.2005.0005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 41-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

D. E. Tillman ◽

T. A. Larsen ◽

C. Pahl-Wostl ◽

W. Gujer

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Best Practice ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Data Sets ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Agent Based ◽

Current Design ◽

Scenario Testing ◽

Supply Systems

The objective of this paper is to point out existing risks of current design and management strategies in water supply systems and to identify possible ways of designing and operating schemes which minimize these risks. This paper is motivated by the observation that existing design principles and engineering rules (best practice) seem to cope insufficiently or even conflict with current trends of declining water demand. In order to evaluate this situation, an agent-based model comprising the current rules of best practice was developed in a participatory process. Once the model was validated with data sets from a real utility, multiple-scenario testing was used to explore different design strategies, thus allowing ideas for developing alternative management and design schemes to be generated. The simulations show that the traditional risk of insufficient supply security must be supplemented by considering the opposite risk of excessive security (over-capacity). The introduction of demand-side measures may help to calibrate existing best practice with the trends of the current operating environment. Ideas are brought forward on how to shape incentive systems for stakeholders in order to facilitate such a shift.

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