Pressure driven analysis of water distribution networks based on the knowledge of the actual connection to properties

Pressure-driven simulation of water distribution systems constitutes an approach which can realistically reproduce the behavior of a network in terms of nodal discharges as function of the actual nodal pressures. Moreover, this approach allows also for the estimation of water losses, based on a leakage model at a pipe scale. Pressure-driven analysis, aswell as demand-driven one, is commonly undertaken under the assumption of lumping flows into the end nodes of each pipe. This kind of hypothesis is due to simplification of the topology related to computational reasons as well as to the lack of information about each single connection of pipes to properties. However, this assumption can return a poor description of pipes energy balance conservation equation and thus a wrong approximation that could generate large head loss errors. The advent of information technology and Geographical Information Systems in water industry led to the availability of the actual number and position of the connections to the properties along the mains of the water distribution networks. This paper shows the extension of a pressure-driven analysis algorithm to the scenario where pipes connections and consumptions are known. Furthermore, as shown in a real case study, the proposed pressure-driven algorithm allows a more accurate analysis of background water losses