Management of Rural Water Supply Peak Flow Rates

Flow rates in lines serving four and fifteen families were recorded continuously during two summer peak periods on a low-density rural domestic water system in Utah. During the second summer the potential flow rates at individual services were cut almost in half (from 11.0 gal/min to 6.3 gal/min average) by installing a small orifice in each service line. Analysis of the flow rate data and interviews with the water users produced conclusions which included the following: (1)Peak demands on this type of system almost never exceed 7 gal/min/service and therefore the customers were essentially unaware of any reduction in the quality of their service; (2)distribution line peak flows were reduced by 7% to 20% by the orifices and could have been reduced much more by a slightly smaller orifice; and (3)management of peak flows by simple orifices has important potential for sections of systems with marginal distribution line capacities.