MODELING DISTRIBUTION-SYSTEM WATER QUALITY; DYNAMIC APPROACH

Interest is growing in determining the quality variations that exist in drinking water distribution systems. This paper is dedicated to understanding distribution‐system quality issues and to the development of a model that will enhance this understanding. A dynamic algorithm that can be used to predict water quality variations is described in this paper. Determination of the blending of flows from separate sources, tracing of transient concentrations in the system, and establishment of a compliance monitoring system are only a few of the potential uses of such a model. The model has been implemented on a microcomputer and applied to the North Penn Water Authority distribution system, Lansdale, Pennsylvania. It shows good correspondence with observed field data.