Alternative Method for Nonrevenue Water Component Assessment
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 144, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper presents a practical method for estimating the volume of apparent losses in water supply systems, particularly in a developing country context, so that real losses can be calculated from the volume of nonrevenue water (NRW). The method employs the fact that almost all apparent losses reach wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The volume of apparent losses can be estimated through establishing a water and wastewater balance using routine measurements of WWTP inflow and routine data of billed consumption. The water and wastewater balance was applied in the water supply system of Sana’a, Yemen, so NRW components were estimated. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses show that all sources of the errors are small apart from the level of accuracy of measuring the WWTP inflow, and this accuracy can be practically improved. Other parameters and variables are relatively insensitive. The paper discusses the advantages and limitations of the suggested alternative method compared with the other NRW assessment methods.
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Acknowledgments
This study was funded under the Netherlands Fellowship Program, and a joint NICHE 27 Project of MetaMeta Research and the Water and Environment Centre at Sana’a University. The data of the case study are provided by Sana’a Water Supply and Sanitation Local Corporation. Thanks goes to Mr. Allan Lambert for his valuable correspondence at the beginning of this work. Thanks also go to the editors and reviewers of this paper for their constructive comments.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 144 • Issue 5 • May 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 9, 2017
Accepted: Oct 18, 2017
Published online: Mar 8, 2018
Published in print: May 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Aug 8, 2018
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