The problems of limited financial resources and water scarcity in urban areas of developing countries are of concern to water managers following growing demand–supply imbalance. As a result, an intermittent supply is widely adopted as a measure for controlling water demand among consumers. However, ensuring equitable water distribution at low cost in intermittent water supply systems becomes a challenge. Most intermittent water supply systems fail to achieve both objectives and how to improve equity remains a complex task for water managers. There is little research in this area and therefore a need to develop more appropriate optimisation techniques that recognise this unique feature of intermittent systems in developing countries. The paper proposes a simple multi-objective optimisation model to measure and improve equity and minimise cost in intermittent distribution networks, under water scarcity condition. A simple network is subjected to intermittent supply to demonstrate the model, in which both locations and capacities of source tanks/reservoirs are subject to optimisation. A simulation model is used to model intermittent systems as pressure-dependent through the use of consumer storage tanks. The paper reveals that equity under intermittent supply conditions is measurable and can be improved through optimal location and sizing of elevated source reservoirs.
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Research Article|
September 12 2013
Improving equity in intermittent water supply systems
Ernest Effah Ameyaw
;
1
Department of Building and Real Estate, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (Formerly of Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter, UK)
E-mail: myernest2010@yahoo.com
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Fayyaz Ali Memon
;
Fayyaz Ali Memon
2
Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter, UK
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Josef Bicik
Josef Bicik
2
Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter, UK
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Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2013) 62 (8): 552-562.
Article history
Received:
March 22 2013
Accepted:
July 19 2013
Citation
Ernest Effah Ameyaw, Fayyaz Ali Memon, Josef Bicik; Improving equity in intermittent water supply systems. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 December 2013; 62 (8): 552–562. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.065
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Ernest Effah Ameyaw, Fayyaz Ali Memon, Josef Bicik; Improving equity in intermittent water supply systems. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 December 2013; 62 (8): 552–562. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.065
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