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Modularity-Based Procedure for Partitioning Water Distribution Systems into Independent Districts

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Abstract

A proper division of a Water Distribution System (WDS) into District Metered Areas (DMAs) provides important management benefits particularly with regard to leakage detection through water balances, control and optimization of pressure so as to reduce leakage, implementation of monitoring, warning and emergency acting systems against accidental or intentional water contamination. This paper presents a new methodology that combines a suitable modularity-based algorithm for the automated creation of DMA boundaries and convincing practical criteria for the DMA design. A further plus of the proposed methodology is its ability to identify many technically feasible solutions that can be subsequently economically assessed. The successful applications of the proposed methodology to a real case study, already tested by other authors, has proven its effectiveness for the DMA design in existing water distribution systems.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Prof. Wolfgang Rauch who provided a useful guidance to this research, and thank Dr. Stefano Alvisi and Prof. Marco Franchini who kindly provided the data of the WDS used in this study. The authors thanks the anonymous reviewers for their highly appreciated criticisms and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Carlo Ciaponi, Enrico Murari & Sara Todeschini

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  1. Carlo Ciaponi
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  2. Enrico Murari
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  3. Sara Todeschini
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Correspondence to Carlo Ciaponi.

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Ciaponi, C., Murari, E. & Todeschini, S. Modularity-Based Procedure for Partitioning Water Distribution Systems into Independent Districts. Water Resour Manage 30, 2021–2036 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1266-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1266-1

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