Analysis and Design of Water Distribution Network for the Potheri Village, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

In many developing countries, including India, water distribution systems are often plagued by inadequate and poor design, operation and maintenance issues, and economic stress. This results in a substandard quality and insufficient quantity of water reaching consumers. One of the major problems with intermittent water supply systems is that the leaks in the pipeline allow contaminants to seep into the pipeline during non-supply hours due to the vacuum that is developed inside the pipeline. A solution to this issue is to implement a continuous pressurized water supply system. This study aims to analyse the current public water distribution system of Potheri village in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India, and to design a new and improved system using the open-source software EPANET. The study will adhere to the updated government guidelines outlined in the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 initiative (CPHEEO. Guidelines for planning, design, and implementation of 24 × 7 water supply [1]), by CPHEEO, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs—Government of India. The water distribution system of Potheri includes 214 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes of diameter 150 mm having Hazen–Williams constant 140, 191 junctions, and 4 overhead tanks from which water is distributed to the whole network. Various types of scenarios were simulated like blockage of pipe, failure of the overhead tank, etc. Hydraulic analysis performed with EPANET will allow a thorough assessment of the system's performance under various operating conditions and enable the optimization of the network design for greater efficiency and reliability. The 24 × 7 water supply system brings numerous benefits to communities, such as consistent access to clean water, active leak detection, and repair, and reduced waterborne diseases and infant mortality rates. The newly developed system also conserves water resources and reduces overall consumption by eliminating the need for water storage during non-supply hours.