Practical approaches to modeling leakage and pressure management in distribution systems - progress since 2005

In 2005 a Plenary Invited Lecture on this topic, at the 2005 Exeter CCWI by Lambert (2005), outlined the initial progress that had been achieved by the IWA Water Loss Task Force (now the Water Loss Specialist Group), by its Pressure Management Team formed in 2003. Since then, the practical approaches developed by the PM Team have been used in many countries to achieve demonstrable sustained reductions in Real (Physical) losses. Ongoing research reported by Thornton and Lambert (2006, 2011) and Lambert et al (2012) has helped to stimulate an international renaissance in pressure management, not only for the traditional purpose of reducing leak flow rates, but also for reducing burst frequencies on mains and service connections, extending residual asset life, energy conservation, management of consumption and improved Utility: customer relationships. The paper reviews the development, testing and ‘state of the art’ of some of these practical analyses and prediction concepts, and includes example from a number of international pressure management Case Studies. Topics covered in this paper are limited (by space) to improvements in prediction methods for changes in: • leak flow rates (practical and theoretical aspects) • frequency and numbers of leaks and bursts, with separate calculations for mains and services Examples of practical techniques for validating predicted reductions in bursts following pressure management are shown, and ongoing practical research for predicting the benefits of extended asset life, and more efficient use of energy with pressure management, are briefly discussed. Copyright is retained by the Authors; however copies of this paper and the associated presentation may be downloaded free of charge from www.leakssuite.com provided that acknowledgement of source is given if material is reproduced.