Water Distribution Networks

Environmental Engineering

Harikiran Sirivooru
40 to 70% of the total cost of water supply scheme
Unit V

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

 What is a Water distribution system?  What is a Water distribution system?
 Designed to:
 Consists of a network of pipes with appurtenances  Adequately supply water requirements for:
a) Domestic
 Transports water from water treatment plant to consumers tap b) Commercial
c) Industrial
 Includes storage, service or balancing reservoirs d) Fire fighting

 Performance evaluation: Based on residual pressure available in

the system

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Good distribution system should Good distribution system should (cont’d..)

 Supply water at consumers tap at reasonable pressure  Prevent water leakage (No WW entry)

 Meet fire demand  Water availability even during a break down

 Maintain good water quality  No traffic disruption during repair

 Easy to operate and maintain  Initial + operating + maintenance cost must be low

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Components of distribution system:
Distribution methods
 Pipes
Three types:
 Fittings
1. Gravity system
 Valves
2. Pumping system
 Hydrants
 Meters 3. Combined gravity and pumping system or Dual system

 Pumps
 Service reservoirs Choice depends on topography of the area

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Water Distribution Networks
Water Distribution Networks
Distribution methods
Three types: Design constraints for pipes:
 Residual pressure at ferrule points:
1. Single storey: 7m
2. Double storey: 12m
3. Triple storey: 17m

4. Do not exceed 22 m

1. Minimum velocity: 0.6 m/sec

2. Maximum velocity: 2.3 m/s

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Types of Operation:
1. Continuous supply
 Water is available 24 hrs a day
 More wastage of water. Metering
 Water quality is maintained
 Fire demand easily met
Types of Operation:
2. Intermittent supply
 Supply only during some fixed hours
 Adopted when:
 Sufficient pressure is not there
 Sufficient quantity is not there
 Fire fighting could be a problem
 Requires domestic storage

 Water quality cannot be maintained

 Greater pipe sizes

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Distribution Reservoirs: Types of Reservoirs:
 To meet fluctuating demands 1. Surface Reservoirs:
 Pumps can be run at uniform speed  Located at or below ground
 Constant pressure in distribution mains level

 Overall reduction in sizes of pumps, pipes, etc  Made of masonry/ concrete

 Storage for fire fighting, emergencies  Circular or Rectangular

 Appropriately lined
 Compartmentalized
 If located at high points no
need of elevated reservoirs

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Types of Reservoirs:
2. Elevated Reservoirs:
 Overhead tanks
 Made of steel or concrete
 Rectangular or circular
 Accessories Intz tank
 Most common type: Intz tank

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Location of distribution reservoirs:
Location of distribution reservoirs:
 Located centrally on high grounds

 Reduces frictional losses due to reduction in pipe lengths

 Uniform pressure distribution

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Location of distribution reservoirs:
Distribution reservoir capacity:
 Depends upon:
 Equalizing or Balancing or Operating storage
 Breakdown storage or emergency storage
 Breakdown reserve: 25% of the capacity of reservoir
 Fire storage: Refer to Unit I Fire demand formulas

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Distribution reservoir capacity: Layout of Distribution system:
Equalizing or Balancing or Operating storage 1. Dead End or Tree-system
 Mass curve Analysis: Time Vs Accumulated or Cumulative flow 2. Grid Iron system
 Analytical Method 3. Circular or Ring system
4. Radial system
 Problems

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Layout of Distribution system: Layout of Distribution system:
1. Dead End or Tree-system 1. Dead End or Tree-system
 Used for irregularly developed town & cities

Advantages:
 Economical design: Pipe size reduces as we move d/s
 Simple layout

 Less cutoff or isolation valves

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Layout of Distribution system: Layout of Distribution system:
1. Dead End or Tree-system 2. Grid Iron system
Disadvantages:
 Stagnation of water

 Accumulation of sediments
 Large number of scour valves
 Less reliability of supply in case of breakdown of a sub-main
 Discharge for fire fighting is less in tail end areas

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Layout of Distribution system: Layout of Distribution system:
2. Grid iron system 3. Circular or Ring system
 Used for cities having rectangular layout of roads

Advantages:
 No stagnation points
 More reliable water supply

 Less number of scour valves

Disadvantages:
 Large number of cutoff valves
 Longer pipe lengths and large diameters

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Layout of Distribution system: Layout of Distribution system:
3. Circular or Ring system 4. Radial system
 Length of main is very long

 Same advantages & disadvantages as Grid-iron system

 Suitable for cities having well planned streets & roads

Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks

Layout of Distribution system:
4. Radial system
 Ensures high pressure in distribution
 Quick & efficient water distribution
 Suitable for cities having radially laid roads
Design steps for designing a water distribution network:
 Conduct surveys
 Fix the alignment of raising main (from WTP to Reservoir)
 Prepare detailed map of the town showing roads, utilities (electrical,
drainage, etc)
 Prepare topographical map of the area
 Prepare cross-sections of streets showing all detailed sections

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Water Distribution Networks Water Distribution Networks
Design steps.. Cont’d: Design steps… Cont’d:
 Mark tentative layout of pipe lines  Analyze the system for pressures at different locations
 Show positions of reservoirs, valves & other appurtenances depending on  Check for satisfaction of constraints (Velocity, Pressure) at different
to which area you want to supply water positions
 Estimate demands based on population density  Assume another set of diameters
 Assume appropriate diameters  Repeat the analysis
 Select that system: satisfies all the constraints and is most economical

 KY PIPE software by Kentucky University

Water Distribution Networks Conveyance of water

 Pipe material selection:-
Analysis of pipe networks of distribution system:
 Q, life of pipe, type of water, corrosion, soil properties, funds, maintenance
 Hardy-cross method
costs
 Equivalent pipe method
 Pipe materials:
 Cast iron
 Problems. Refer to class notes & textbooks
 Wrought iron
 Steel
 Concrete
 Cement lined cast iron
 Asbestos cement
 Copper & lead
 Wooden
 Plastic
 Vitrified clay

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Pipe materials:  Pipe materials:
 Cast iron  Wrought iron:
 Mostly used  Lighter than cast iron
 Dia – 8 cm to 150 cm  More expensive and less durable than CI
 Lt – 2.5 m to 5.5 m  Less corrosion resistant. Used only inside the bldg’s
 Bell & Spigot, threaded & flanged joints  Joints: Couplings or screwed and socketed joints
 Advantages: Moderate cost, easy to join, less corrosion, long life – 100 yrs  Coated with zinc to increase its life
 Disadvantages: Brittle & breaks or cracks easily. Heavy & difficult to
transport

Conveyance of water
Conveyance of water
 Pipe materials:
 Pipe materials:
 Steel pipes:
 High pressure lines & large pipe diameters  Concrete pipes:
 Precast or Cast-in-site
 Joints: Welded, flanged or screwed joints
 Plain concrete pipes – Low pressure
 Life – 25 to 50 yrs
heads upto 15 m. Bell & spigot joints.
 Advantages: Long length pipes available hence less number of joints, Used upto 60 cm dia.
strong, cheap, easy to construct, resists high internal pressures, light in
 RCC - Upto 75 m pressure heads.
weight & easy to transport
 Disadvantages: Less corrosion resistant, high maintenance cost  Prestressed cement concrete > 75 m
head
 Dia – 10 cm to 120 cm

 Joints – Flexible type, collar joint,

Victaulic or dresser coupling joints

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Pipe materials:  Pipe materials:
 Concrete pipes:  Cement-lined cast-iron pipes:
 Advantages:  CI pipes are lined with cement to protect them from water containing
 Life > 75 yrs
corrosive elements
 Thickness of lining – 3 mm to 6 mm
 Low maintenance costs

 Cast at site reduces transport charges

 Least coeff of thermal expansion  No need of expansion joint

 Will not collapse or fail under normal traffic loads when placed below roads

 Disadvantages:
 Heavy & difficult to transport

 Repairs are difficult

 Porosity may cause leakage

Conveyance of water Conveyance of water

 Pipe materials:  Pipe materials:
 Asbestos cement pipe:  Asbestos cement pipes:
 5 cm to 130 m in dia  Advantages:

 Five grades - 5 kg/sq.cm (50 m head) to 25 kg/sq.cm (250 m head)  Smooth inside surface

 Suitable for small size distribution pipes  Easy to cut & join

 Joints – Collar, Victaulic or dresser coupling joints  Not affected by salts, acids & other corrosive materials

 Very light – easy to handle & transport

 Disadvantages:
 Brittle - Break or crack during transport

 Cannot withstand traffic loads

 Expensive

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Pipe materials:  Pipe materials:
 Copper pipes:  Wooden pipes:
 Do not sag if used for hot water supply  Upto 7 m dia
 Hot water conveyance in bldg’s & steam boilers  Life – 30 to 50 years
 Expensive  Low friction coefficient
 Not used for water lines  Easy to repair, light weight,
corrosion resistant, easy to install
 Lead pipes:
 Causes lead poisoning  Leakage, cannot bear high
pressures, collapse under heavy
 Used in sanitary fittings external loads
 Used in chlorination & alum dosing  Rarely used

Conveyance of water Conveyance of water

 Pipe materials:  Pipe materials:
 Plastic pipes: LDPE, HDPE,  Vitrified clay pipes
Polyethylene, PVC  Not used for carrying water
 Free from corrosion
 Sewage & waste lines
 Light weight
 Smooth surface
 Cheap
 Free from corrosion
 Easy to bend, join & install
 Lt - 60 cm to 120 cm
 Less resistant to heat

CPVC

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Pipe joints:-  Pipe joints:-
 Pipe lengths = 2 to 6 m  Cast iron pipes – Bell & Spigot joint

 Design of joints depends on type of the pipe, areas prone to soil
movement, internal water pressure, differential soil settlement, & the
condition of support
 Spigot & socket joint
 Steel pipes – Welded or riveted or flanged or screwed joints
 RCC & Asbestos pipes – Special joints
 If joints supports is likely to take settlement – Flexible joint

 Flanged joint  For shock & vibration absorption of joints – Victaulic or Dresser Coupling joints

 Collar joint

 Screwed joint

 Expansion joint

Conveyance of water Conveyance of water

 Pipe joints:-  Pipe joints:-
 Spigot & socket joint:  Flanged joint:
 Also called Bell & spigot joint  For steel pipes & cast-iron
 Cast iron pipes  To disjoint the pipe off and on
 Lead used as filling material
 Lead required per joint:  Rubber washer between flanges & bolted
 For 15 cm dia pipe: 3.5 to 4 kg – For water-tight joint
 For 120 cm dia pipe: 45 to 50 kg

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Pipe joints:-  Pipe joints:-
 Collar joint:  Screwed joint:
 Concrete & Asbestos cement pipes  Small diameter cast iron, wrought iron
Gasket or
pipes & galvanized pipes

 Thread connections

 Zinc paint or hemp yarn placed in threads

of pipe – Water tight joint

Conveyance of water
Conveyance of water
 Laying of Pipe lines:-
 Pipe joints:-
 Obtain detailed maps of roads & streets with
 Expansion joint: underground lines – Water, sewer, electrical,
 Checks thermal expansion & contraction in pipes
gas, telephone, etc
 Locate the proposed alignment on the ground
 Trench excavation & leveling:
 Adequate width: For proper laying and joining of
pipes. 30 to 45 cm more than pipe diameter

 Adequate depth: Protect impact of traffic. 90 cm

ground cover from top of pipe

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Conveyance of water Conveyance of water
 Laying of Pipe lines:-  Testing of Pipe lines:- After laying and jointing but before back-filling,
 Prepare a hard bottom  Hydrostatic test:
surface in trench to protect  Pressure test & Leakage Test:
against possible pipe
settlement
 Lowering of pipes into the
trench & laying – Laying in
uphill direction
 Jointing of pipes
 Thrust blocks
 Refilling of the trench

Conveyance of water Conveyance of water

 Pipe corrosion:-  Pipe corrosion prevention:-
 Internal & external  Cathodic protection – Effective but costly
 Iron & steel  Corrosion resistant pipe material – Alloys of iron or steel with chromium,
 Factors: copper & nickel

 Acidity – low pH, presence of carbonic acid  Protective linings – Asphalt, Bitumen, cement mortar, paints, resins, tar,
zinc, etc
 Alkalinity – Inadequate calcium bicarbonate
 Treatment of water – Adjustment of pH value, control of calcium
 Biological activity – Fe & S bacteria bicarbonate, removal of CO2, etc
 Chlorination – Free Cl or chloramines
 Minerals & organic matter – High total solids

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Appurtenances in distribution system 1. Valves & Fittings
1. Valves & Fittings  Valves: Purpose:
2. Manholes  To control the flow of water

3. Fire hydrants  Regulate pressures

4. Water meters  To release or admit air

 To prevent flow of water in opposite direction

 To isolate and drain pipeline sections for test, inspection, cleaning & repairs

 Fittings: Taps, bends, tees, sockets, etc for distribution and forming network
of pipes inside the houses

1. Valves 1. Valves
a. Sluice Valves or Gate valves:
a. Sluice or Gate Valve
 Most common type to regulate the flow of
water through the pipelines

 Cast-iron with brass, bronze or SS

 Available with threaded, flanged, or spigot

and socket ends

 Trouble-some to operate: Need a big force

to open or close against a high unbalanced
pressure

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1. Valves Butterfly Valve
b. Butterfly valves:
 Regulate and stop flow in large pipes

 Cheaper than sluice valves for large sizes

 Easy to operate

 Higher head loss than sluice valves

1. Valves Globe Valve

c. Globe valves:
 Disc, spindle & hand wheel

 High head loss

 Used on small pipes (<10cm dia) & as water taps

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1. Valves 1. Valves
d. Check Valves: e. Drain Valves:
 Reflux valves or non-return valves  Scour valves or Blow-off valves

 Prevents reverse direction of flow of  Removes settled particles (sand, silt, clay,
water etc)

 Installed on discharge side of pumps  Ordinary sluice valves

 Installed at dead ends or depressions or

low points in the pipeline

1. Valves Pressure Relief Valve

f. Pressure Relief Valves:
 Automatic cutoff valves or safety valves or
overflow towers

 Releases excess pressure built in closed

pipe

 Disc controlled by a spring adjusted for

any desired pressure

 Installed at low points where pressures are

maximum

 Installed on the u/s side of sluice valves to

relieve the water hammer pressure due to
sudden closure of the sluice valve

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Pressure Relief Valve Pressure Relief Valve

Pressure Relief Valve 1. Valves

g. Air-relief Valves:
 Air blockage  Increases HL & reduces
discharge  Increases pumping costs

 Release excess air

 Permit air to enter when pipe is emptied to

avoid vacuum for complete drain

 Installed at high points of the pipe

 At summit: Installed on both sides of

sluice valves

 D/s side of all sluice valves

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2. Manholes 3. Fire hydrants
 For inspection and repairs 1. Fire fighting + street washing
 300 to 600 m apart 2. Installed at all important road junctions & intervals not exceeding 300 m
 Installed on downstream of all valves &
summits (peak point)

4. Water meters 4. Water meters

1. Displacement type
 Nutating-disc meters

 Small flow measurements

 Displacement principle: Records the number of times a vessel of known volume

is filled & emptied

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4. Water meters 4. Water meters – Rotary water meter
2. Inferential type or velocity meters
 Rotary or turbine meters

 Venturi meters (contraction, throat,

divergent cone)

4. Water meters – Venturi meter installation 4. Water meters

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4. Water meters Pump House or Pumping station

Magnetic flow meters

Pump House or Pumping Station End of Unit 5

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