Lead Partner: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Chemistry Department

Professor A.I. Zouboulis

The challenge of water being lost

Every water distribution network has two main users: (a) all kinds of consumers; and (b) the water distribution network (water losses)

What is “water use efficiency” and how it is measured?

Increase the unit water use efficiency => Increase the rate Used water / System Input Volume (SIV) => Water Losses volume reduction (e.g. water theft IS NOT water loss)

Increase the unit water use efficiency => Increase of the unit revenues(€) / System Input Volume (SIV) => Non-Revenue Water Reduction (e.g. water theft IS revenues loss)

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2

Why turn to NRW reduction? NRW=water lost & revenues & energy

Countries Supplied

population,

millions

(2002)

System Input

Volume

(SIV)

l/capita/ day

ESTIMATES OF NRW

NRW as

% of

SIV

Ratio (%) Volume, billion m3/year

Real losses Apparent

losses

Real losses Apparent

losses

Total

NRW

Developed 744,8 300 15 80 20 9.8 2.4 12.2

Eurasia (CIS) 178 500 30 70 30 6.8 2.9 9.7

Developing 837,2 250 35 60 40 16.1 10.6 26.7

Source: World Health Organisation, IB-Net. TOTAL 32.7 15.9 48.6

Countries Marginal cost of

water (US$/m3)

Average

tariff

(US$/m3)

Cost of

real

losses

Lost revenue due to

apparent losses

Total cost of

NRW

Estimated value (US$ billions/ year)

Developed 0.30 1.00 2.9 2.4 5.3

Eurasia (CIS) 0.30 0.50 2.0 1.5 3.5

Developing 0.20 0.25 3.2 2.6 5.8

TOTAL 8.1 6.5 14.6

If NRW levels are reduced by 50% only in the developing world, 90 million people would have access to water without any increase in demand or exploitation of new water resources

Revenues losses represent 25% of the investments in water works

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WATERLOSS Partners & Case Studies www.waterloss-project.eu

4

Partner's

No Partner's full NAME

Partner's

official sign

Partner's

City

Partner's

Country

LP=PP1 Aristotle University of

Thessaloniki - AUTH

Thessaloniki Greece

PP2 Conseil Général des Pyrénées

Orientales - PO

Perpignan France

PP3 Water Board of Nicosia - WBN

Nicosia Cyprus

PP4 Regional Development Centre -

RDC

Slovenia

PP5 Metropolitan Area of Barcelona -

AMB

Barcelona Spain

PP6 Kozani Municipal Water &

Sewerage Utility - DEYAK

Kozani Greece

PP7 Autorità di Bacino dei Fiumi Liri-

Garigliano-Volturno - LG

Caserta Italy

PP8

University of Ljubljana-Faculty for

Civil & Geodetic Engineering -

UL

Ljubljana Slovenia

PP9 Department of Herault - DH

Montpelier France

Understanding the NRW problem in water distribution networks

5

5

48,8

79,8

43,6

69,5

89,5

38,9

41,8

43,2

3,4

4,5

1,1

2,5

1,6 5,2

2,5

3,9

46,9

14,9

51,5

27,9

8,3

51,2

33,6 4

2,55

1,2

20,2

52,9

30,5

10,3

58,4

36,6

54,0

28,0

15,0

8,5

16,1

27,1

40,6

16,0

16,1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Baho Argeles Thuir WBN Castellbisbal DEYAK Melito di Napoli

SIEL

Revenue Water Apparent Losses

Real Losses NRW

MCD

Presenting the successive steps (Road map) towards WDN’s

reliable management Familiarizing with the WDS (mapping with GIS);

Understanding the way the WDS operates and reacts through monitoring (SCADA) and simulation of its hydraulic operation;

Recognizing the WDS’s problems through their symptoms;

Understanding the problems defining their causes;

Connecting the symptoms with the main or secondary causes;

Connecting the causes with the main corrective measures of the time-buying ones

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The WB assessment methodology: The 2nd modified Water Balance

System

Input

Volume

(A3)

Authorized

Consumption

(A14=A10+A13)

Billed

Authorized

Consumption

(A10=A8+A9)

Billed Metered Consumption

(A8) Revenue

Water

(A20=A8+A9)

Revenue Water (water billed

& paid for)

(A24=A8+A9-A23) Billed Un-metered

Consumption

(Α9) Water billed but NOT PAID

for (apparent NRW) A23

Unbilled

Authorized

Consumption

(A13=A11+A12)

Unbilled Metered Consumption

(A11) Non Revenue

Water (NRW)

(A21=A3-

A20)

Accounted for Non Revenue

Water

(A26=A3-A24-A23-A25)

Unbilled Un-metered

Consumption

(A12)

Water Losses

(A15=A3-A14)

Apparent

Losses

(A18=A16+A17)

Unauthorized Consumption

(Α16)

Customer Meter Inaccuracies

& Data Handling Errors

(A17)

Real Losses

(A19=A15-A18) Water Losses generating

revenues (MCD) A25

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7

Kanakoudis, V. and Tsitsifli, S., (2010), “Water volume vs. revenues oriented water balance calculation for urban water networks: the “Minimum Charge Difference” component makes a difference!”, Int. Conf. “Water Loss”, IWA, Sao Paolo,Brazil, 6-9 June

NRW Components

8

8

NRW

Unbilled Metered

Consumption Unbilled

UnMeteredConsumpti

on

Water theft & Illegal Use

Data Handling

Errors

Meter & MeteringInaccura

cies

Leaks &

Breaks

Tank Overflo

ws

Unbilled

Authorized

Consumption

Apparent

Losses

Real Losses

Confronting the NRW problem

Existing Apparent Loss

Economic Target For

Apparent LossMeter

ReadingErrors

Water Accounting

Errors

Wa

ter

Th

eft

Me

ter

Un

de

r- R

eg

istra

tion

Pressure Management

Active Leakage Control

Speed and

Quality of Repairs

Potentially Recoverable

Real Losses

Unavoidable Annual Real

Losses

Pipeline and

AssetsManagement

Current Annual Real Losses

Economic Annual Real Losses

170 IWA PIs (Alegre et al., 2006)

10

PIs / Number PIs / Number PIs / Number

Water Resources (WR) 4 Operational (Op) 44 Financial (Fi) 47

Personnel (Pe) 26 Inspection & maintenance of physical assets 6 Revenues 3

Total Personnel 2 Instrumentation calibration 5 Costs 3

Personnel per main function 7 Vehicle availability 1 Composition of running costs per type of

costs 5

Technical services personnel per

activity 6

Electrical & signal transmission equipment

inspection 3

Composition of running costs per technical

function activity 6

Personnel qualification 3 Mains/valves/service connections rehabilitation 3 Composition of capital costs 2

Personnel training 3 Inspection & maintenance of physical assets 2 Investment 3

Personnel helath & safety 4 Pumps rehabilitation 2 Average water charges 2

Overtime work 1 Operational Water Losses 7 Efficiency 9

Quality of Service (QS) 34 Failure 6 Leverage 2

Service coverage 5 Water metering 4 Liquidity 1

Public taps & standpipes 4 Water Quality monitoring 5 Profitability 4

Pressure & continuity of supply 8 Physical (Ph) 15 Economic Water Losses 2

Quality of supplied water 5 Treatment & Storage 3 Composition of running costs per main

function of water undertaking 5

Customer complaints 9 Pumping 4

Service connections & meter

installation & repair 3

Transmission & distribution 2

Meters 4

Automation & control 2

During WATERLOSS project 75 out of 170 IWA PIs were identified as the most “important” ones. A prioritization process took place

11 derived from existing PIs

Symbol Performance Indicator Meaning Formula Units

Op45(a-i) RL per pipe material RL/pipes length of the same material (a-i) A19/C32(a-i) m3/km

Op46(a-i) RL per pipe diameter RL/pipes length of the same diameter (a-i) A19/C33(a-i) m3/km

Op47(a-i) RL per pipe material/diameter

RL/pipes length of same material & diameter (a-i)

A19 C34(a-i) m3/km

Op51 AL per roof tank AL/ number of roof tanks A18/C26 m3

Op52 AL per roof tank volume (AL/roof tanks volume)*100 (A18/C30)*100 %

Op53 AL per water meter AL/number of water meters A18/E6 m3/water

meter

Op54 ALI (Apparent Losses Index)

AL/5% of Water Sales A18/(0,05*G3)

Op55(a-i) WL per water resources [WL/Water abstracted from the same resource (a-i)] *100

{A15/(ΣA27(a-i))} *100

%

Op58 NRW per connection (NRW*1000)/(number of service connections * assessment period)

(A21*1000)/C24/H1

lt/connection/ day

Op59 NRW per mains length NRW/mains length A21/C8 m3/km

mains/year

Op60(a-i) Mains failures per main’s type

[(Number of failures of the same material a of mains during the assessment period x 365) / assessment period]/mains length of the same material (a-i)] x 100

[(D79a*365)/H1/C32(a-i)]

Νο./km/year

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31 new PIs Symbol Performance Indicator Meaning Formula Units

Op48(a-i) RL per pipe age RL/pipe length with the same age (a-i) A19/C35(a-i) m3/km

Op49(a-i) RL per roughness coefficient RL/roughness coefficient (a-i) A19/C36(a-i)

Op50 RL - pressure RL/average operating pressure A19/D34 m3/m

Op56(a-i) WL % water use (domestic,

industrial, commercial) (WL/same kind water use (a-i)) *100 (A15/E14(a-i))*100 %

Op57 WL per buildings height WL/average buildings height A15 / C27 m3/m

Op61

Leakage energy or Energy loss due to leakage (sum of the

leaks-related energy loss and additional energy required to

overcome leakage)

the sum of energy loss through leaked water and the additional energy required to overcome

friction with the increased flow rate needed to overcome leakage (difference between the actual energy dissipated in friction losses and the value

of friction losses in a leak-free network)

(D77+D73-D74)/ D78

Op62 Standards compliance (energy delivered to users/minimum required

useful energy)*100 (D75/D76)*100 %

Op63 Carbon Footprint per SIV Carbon Footprint produced during WS

process/SIV D72 / A3 tnsCO2/m3

Op64 Meter replacement (flow meters replaced/total number of flow

meters)*100 (D69/C10)*100 %

Op65(a-i)

Assessment of failures according to type of material

and fittings in mains and service connections

failure rates (for each type of failure) in No of failures (a-i)/total No of devices

D80(a-i)/ C31

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31 new PIs (cont.) Symbol Performance Indicator Meaning Formula Units

Op66 Elasticity of Losses related to

operating pressure

[(Initial RL minus Final RL)/Initial RL]/[(Initial pressure minus final pressure)/initial pressure]

(ΔA19/A19)/ (ΔD34/ D34)

m3/m

Op67

Elasticity of failures occurrence rate related to the

operating pressure

[(Initial mains & service connections failures - final mains & service connections failures)/

Initial mains & service connections failures]/[(Initial pressure - final pressure)/initial

pressure]

[Δ(D28+D29)/ (D28+D29)]/ (ΔD34/D34)

failures/m

Op68 Number of days to respond to

repair leakage events

Total No of days to respond to repair leakage events/total number of repairs occurred

D70 / D71 days/

repairs

Ph16 Inhabitants per water meter Number of inhabitants / number of water meters E5/E6

Ph17 Energy per volume Energy used / SIV D68 / A3 KWh/m3

Ph18 <5 years old Domestic water

meters rate

(domestic water meters <5 years old/ total water meters)*100

(C28/E6)*100 %

Ph19 5 to 10 years old Domestic

water meters rate

(domestic water meters 5 -10 years old/total water meters)*100

(C29/E6)*100 %

Ph20 >10 years old Domestic water

meters rate

(domestic water meters >10 years old/total water meters)*100

(C37/E6)*100 %

QS35 Residential Consumption size (Residential Consumption/ total

consumption)*100 (E12/A14)*100 %

QS36 Commercial Consumption size (Commercial Consumption/total

consumption)*100 (E13/A14)*100 %

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31 new PIs (cont.) Symbol Performance Indicator Meaning Formula Units

QS37 Low pressure-related

complaints rate

(No of water low pressure-related complaints/total No of complaints)*100

(F27/F15)*100 %

QS38 Low pressure-related

complaints per service

No of pressure-related complaints/No of water meters

F16/E6

QS39 Grade of consumer's

satisfaction

(satisfied customers/total population served)*100

(F24/F1)*100 %

QS40 Tap water Grade of

satisfaction

(satisfied customers drinking tap water/total population served)*100

(F25/F1)*100 %

QS41 Water taste Grade of

satisfaction

(customers affected by the taste and chlorination of potable water/total population served)*100

(F26/F1)*100 %

QS42 Grade of employees valuation

of customer's satisfaction

Grade of employees valuation of customer's satisfaction

(F28/B1)*100 %

Fi48 MCD per RL (MCD/RL)*100 (A25/A19)*100 %

Fi49 MCD per connection MCD/number of connections/assessment period

(days) A25/C24/H1

m3 /conn./ day

Fi50 Accounted for NRW per NRW (Accounted for NRW/NRW)*100 (A26/A21)*100 %

Fi51 Energy costs per volume Energy cost (€)/SIV (m3) G11 / A3 €/m3

Fi52

Willingness to pay index (consumer's sensitivity to

issues of water shortage and drought)

cost to safeguard water supply/authorized consumption during the assessment period

G59/A14 EUR/m3

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Development of a Decision Support System (DSS)

WATERLOSS ultimate aim was to develop a decision support system serving to support utility managers in the development and implementation of the NRW reduction strategies

The main advantage of the DSS is that it is very flexible, being able to include any Indicator system for the identification of the status of a WDS

The DSS : forms the WDS WB to determine possible NRW sources; Uses a PIs database consisting of existing and new PIs developed, based

on conditions met across the Mediterranean (environmental/social/health factors, water quality problems etc.), to assess the WDS performance;

uses PIs weighting factors to prioritize efficient NRW control measures; and

Considers their environmental impact to suggest the most cost-effective ones.

The DSS has been validated/re-adjusted, using pilot areas thoroughly selected.

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Operating Level Determination

• Estimation of the 2nd modification of the IWA Water Balance • Estimation of the NRW and its components

Operating Level Evaluation

• Identification of the necessary variables • Calculation of the PIs

Evaluation Assessment Procedure

• Benchmarking based on the “self learning” capacity of the DSS

NRW reduction measures prioritization criteria

CRITERION A. Cost effectiveness of the measure in terms of the Benefit/Cost Ratio during a predetermined study period (T).

CRITERION B. Cost of implementing the measure in terms of € need to be invested during a predetermined study period (T)

CRITERION C. Water saving effectiveness of the measure in terms of m3 saved (or generating revenues that otherwise would be lost) in terms of %SIV.

CRITERION D. Time restrictions regarding the implementation of the NRW reduction measure.

CRITERION E. Public Annoyance.

19

Using the NRW reduction measures database

20

Decision tree

WATERLOSS Decision Support System

www.waterloss-project.eu

The DSS is available to any water utility wishing to fully and reliably evaluate its water distribution network

Water Losses Management = Saving Water, Energy and Revenues

Every water drop not only counts, but it worths more and more every day!

www.waterloss-project.eu