Modeling network leakage
Just a heads-up—this section is still a work in progress! I’ll be revising and expanding it soon to make sure it’s as useful as possible. Curious about what’s already done or currently in the works? Check the changelog for updates.
One of the most significant, and often most challenging, components of total system demand is network leakage — the water that escapes from pipes, joints, and fittings before it ever reaches a customer. Addressing this critical component accurately is essential for realistic modeling, effective water loss management, and sound infrastructure planning. This section focuses specifically on how to estimate and then represent network leakage within your hydraulic model.
We’ll start by introducing common methodologies for estimating the overall system leakage volume. These generally fall into two categories: top-down approaches, like a water balance where you subtract billed consumption from total system input, and bottom-up approaches, where you try to estimate leakage from individual components or through detailed field investigations like minimum night flow analysis in DMAs.
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