Management of a Water Distribution Network by Coupling GIS and HydraulcModeling: A case of Ghazaouet, Algeria

Abstract

The rapid population growth, increase in unaccounted for water along with climate change serve as a major problem in both rural and urban water supply. For arid regions, this problem may be aggravated by inadequate management plans and lack of proper data collection related to the geographical location of water distribution networks. A possible solution is the utilization of a geographic information system (GIS) as a tool in decision-making process in the field of water distribution management. Coupling external hydraulic models with GIS can further enhance this management tool. The current study proposes these tools in assessing the performance of a drinking water distribution network. A methodology was developed by coupling GIS to a hydraulic model which was used to model the existing water distribution network in Ghazaouet town in the Tlemcen province, Algeria. The results obtained verified that the pressures at most junctions and majority pipes are enough to provide water to water consumers of the study area. Simulated water pressure varied significantly indicating that some sections of the network needed augmentation and may lose their hydraulic capacities. The velocity range of the water distribution network was generally between 0.1 m/s – 0.5 m/s, however parts of the network gave high velocities and very high unit head losses which exceeded 3 m/km. The approach adopted in this work showed how use of GIS effectively manage a water distribution network data and use of hydraulic models to analyze for malfunctions in the system. Consequently, water engineers and managers can better plan and budget for maintenance and predict future operating scenario.