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Methods of Assessment of Water Losses in Water Supply Systems: a Review

Author

Listed:
  • Taha AL-Washali

    (Sana’a University
    UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education)

  • Saroj Sharma

    (UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education)

  • Maria Kennedy

    (UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education)

Abstract

This paper reviews Water Loss Assessment methods in water supply systems. There’re three main methods: Minimum Night Flow (MNF) analysis, Bursts And Background Estimates (BABE), and Top-Down Water Balance. MNF analysis provides actual measurements whose accuracy can be evaluated. It requires intensive field work, though. The limitation of MNF application is the sensitivity of two parameters; average pressure which is rarely accurate, and estimation of the night consumption. Assessing real losses with the factors generated by the BABE model should not be conducted unless there is no other option due to its excessive assumptions. Instead, the method should be a supplementary tool to break down the volume of real losses into its sub-components. The Top-Down Water Balance is neither pressure-dependent nor extensive-field-work method. However, its assumptions of apparent losses aren’t appropriate for all utilities. The lack of an objective methodology for estimating unauthorized consumption is a major limitation, and research on its estimation is demanding.

Suggested Citation

  • Taha AL-Washali & Saroj Sharma & Maria Kennedy, 2016. "Methods of Assessment of Water Losses in Water Supply Systems: a Review," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 4985-5001, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:30:y:2016:i:14:d:10.1007_s11269-016-1503-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-016-1503-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jaber Alkasseh & Mohd Adlan & Ismail Abustan & Hamidi Aziz & Abu Hanif, 2013. "Applying Minimum Night Flow to Estimate Water Loss Using Statistical Modeling: A Case Study in Kinta Valley, Malaysia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(5), pages 1439-1455, March.
    2. M. Tabesh & A. Yekta & R. Burrows, 2009. "An Integrated Model to Evaluate Losses in Water Distribution Systems," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(3), pages 477-492, February.
    3. Abbas Al-Omari, 2013. "A Methodology for the Breakdown of NRW into Real and Administrative Losses," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 1913-1930, May.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Aditya Gupta & K. D. Kulat, 2018. "A Selective Literature Review on Leak Management Techniques for Water Distribution System," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(10), pages 3247-3269, August.
    3. Andrés Ortega-Ballesteros & Francisco Iturriaga-Bustos & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno & David Muñoz-Rodríguez, 2022. "Advanced Pressure Management for Sustainable Leakage Reduction and Service Optimization: A Case Study in Central Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Mahdi Abravani & Hassan Saghi, 2017. "Introducing a Novel Flexible Conjunction System to Pressure Control in Water Distribution Networks," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(13), pages 4323-4338, October.
    5. Meireles, Inês & Sousa, Vitor & Matos, José Pedro & Cruz, Carlos Oliveira, 2023. "Determinants of water loss in Portuguese utilities," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    6. Pereira Teodoro da Silva, Kairo & Kalbusch, Andreza & Henning, Elisa, 2023. "Detection of unauthorized consumption in water supply systems: A case study using logistic regression," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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