Experimental Quantification of Contaminant Ingress into a Buried Leaking Pipe during Transient Events

AbstractIt has been hypothesized that negative pressures caused by transients within water distribution systems may result in ingress of contaminated groundwater through leaks and hence pose a risk to public health. This paper presents results of contaminant ingress experiments from a novel laboratory facility at The University of Sheffield. An engineered leak surrounded by porous media was subjected to pressure transients resulting from the rapid closure of an upstream valve. It has been shown that a pollutant originating externally was drawn in and transported to the end of the pipe loop. This paper thus presents the first fully representative results proving the occurrence and hence, risk to potable water quality of contaminant ingress.

[1]  M. Besner,et al.  Sensitivity analysis of some critical factors affecting simulated intrusion volumes during a low pressure transient event in a full-scale water distribution system. , 2012, Water research.

[2]  Yong Deng,et al.  Modeling contaminant intrusion in water distribution networks: A new similarity-based DST method , 2011, Expert Syst. Appl..

[3]  Bruno Brunone,et al.  Pressure waves as a tool for leak detection in closed conduits , 2004 .

[4]  C.R.I. Clayton,et al.  The effect of pressure on leakage in water distribution systems , 2007 .

[5]  Steven G. Buchberger,et al.  Assessing Intrusion Susceptibility in Distribution Systems , 2002 .

[6]  Mark W. LeChevallier,et al.  Occurrence of Transient Low and Negative Pressures in Distribution Systems , 2004 .

[7]  Helena M. Ramos,et al.  Intrusion problematic during water supply systems' operation , 2011 .

[8]  Jakobus E. van Zyl,et al.  Soil fluidisation outside leaks in water distribution pipes – preliminary observations , 2013 .

[9]  Joby Boxall,et al.  Experimental Proof of Contaminant Ingress into a Leaking Pipe During a Transient Event , 2014 .

[10]  Melinda Friedman,et al.  The potential for health risks from intrusion of contaminants into the distribution system from pressure transients. , 2003, Journal of water and health.

[11]  J. V. Zyl,et al.  Modeling Elastically Deforming Leaks in Water Distribution Pipes , 2014 .

[12]  B. Karney,et al.  How severe can transients be after a sudden depressurization? , 2012 .

[13]  Rehan Sadiq,et al.  Estimating risk of contaminant intrusion in water distribution networks using Dempster–Shafer theory of evidence , 2006 .

[14]  Bryan W. Karney,et al.  Intrusion Modelling and the Effect of Ground Water Conditions , 2011 .

[15]  J B Boxall,et al.  The bacteriological composition of biomass recovered by flushing an operational drinking water distribution system. , 2014, Water research.

[16]  James E. Funk,et al.  Intrusion within a Simulated Water Distribution System due to Hydraulic Transients. I: Description of Test Rig and Chemical Tracer Method , 2004 .

[17]  Joby Boxall,et al.  Influence of Ground Conditions on Intrusion Flows through Apertures in Distribution Pipes , 2013 .

[18]  C. Biggs,et al.  A review of biofilms in domestic plumbing , 2008 .

[19]  Vicente S. Fuertes-Miquel,et al.  3D computational model of external intrusion in a pipe across defects , 2010 .

[20]  Mark W. LeChevallier,et al.  Potential for pathogen intrusion during pressure transients , 2003 .

[21]  Mohamed Salah Ghidaoui,et al.  A Review of Water Hammer Theory and Practice , 2005 .

[22]  Joby Boxall,et al.  Transient Behavior in Complex Distribution Network: A Case Study☆ , 2014 .

[23]  Paul R Hunter,et al.  Self-reported diarrhea in a control group: a strong association with reporting of low-pressure events in tap water. , 2005, Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.