*Transmission and distribution systems vary
in size and complexity but they all have the
same basic purpose, which is to deliver water
from the source(s) to the customer.
*Methods of Water Transmission and
Distribution System
Through gravity flow: This is the ideal set-up
when the location of the water source is at a
considerably higher elevation than the area
to be served.
Through pumping with storage: Water is
either (a) pumped to a distribution pipe
network, then to consumers, with excess
water going to a storage tank,
or (b) pumped to a storage tank first, then
water is distributed by gravity from tank to
the consumers.
Through direct pumping to the distribution
system: In this system, water is pumped
directly from the source to the distribution
system to the consumers.
Pressure – is a force applied perpendicular to
a body that is in contact with a fluid, in this
case, with water. The pressure exerted by a
column of water is called pressure head,and
can be calculated using form.
Head Losses
Shear stress is developed between the water
and the pipe wall when water is flowing. The
shear stress is the result of friction, and is
dependent on the flow rate, the roughness of
the pipe, and the length and diameter of the
pipe.
• Darcy-Weisbach formula
• Hazen-Williams formula
• Mannings formula
• Combined Darcy-Weisback and Colebrook-
White equation.
Hydraulic Grade Line
Water in a pressurized pipe possesses three
forms of energy which are:
• Kinetic energy – energy due to the water’s
movement;
• Potential energy – energy due to elevation;
• Pressure energy – energy due to internal
pressure.
Pressure pipeline is generally the type of
water conduit used in the Philippines for
water supply transmission systems.
2 types of Designing Pipes
1.Branched System
Also referred to as a Dead-end System, the
size of the main line in this distribution
system decreases as its distance from the
source increases, in consideration that the
further pipes have to carry less water. The
design of a branched system is generally
straightforward, where the direction of water
flow in all pipes and the flow rate can be
readily determined.
One of the advantages of a branched system
is generally lower costs.
The disadvantages are:
• A main break will cause all downstream
consumers to be out of service.
• It results in poor chlorine residuals and
aging of water in low demand areas.
• During high demands, the velocities are
faster, hence head losses are higher.
2. Looped System:
A distribution network is looped when there
are only few or no pipe dead-ends, such that
water can move through the system freely.
The advantages of a looped system are:
• The lower water velocities in the main
reduce head losses, resulting in
greater capacity.
• Main breaks can be isolated, minimizing
service interruptions to consumers.
• Usually better chlorine residual content is
achieved.
The disadvantage is more costs due to need
for more pipes to create the loops.
The basic principles governing network
hydraulics are:
• Conservation of mass – the fluid mass
entering any pipe system will be equal to the
mass leaving the system. In network analysis,
outflows are lumped in nodes. A related
principle is that at each junction (node), the
algebraic sum of the quantities of water
entering and leaving the node is zero.
• Conservation of energy – In any closed
path or circuit in a hydraulic network, the
algebraic sum of the energy (head losses) in
the individual pipes is zero. Another way of
stating it is that the difference in energy
(head loss) between two nodes in a system
must be the same regardless of the path that
is taken (Bernoulli principle). • Include minor head losses for bends,
*The most common conventional method fittings, etc.;
(not using computers) that is used in • Model constant or variable speed pumps;
designing hydraulic networks is the Hardy • Allow storage tanks to have any shape.
Cross algorithm method. It involves iterative
trial and error.
EPANET Software
The software tracks the flow of water in each
pipe, the pressure at each node, and the
height of water in each tank. The important
features of EPANET for distribution network
design its ability to:
• Handle systems of any size;
• Compute friction head loss using the
Hazen-Williams, the Darcy Weisback, or
the Chezy-Manning head loss formula;