IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO CONTROL AND REDUCE WATER LOSSES IN THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF THE BUENO DE ANDRADE DISTRICT IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ARARAQUARA – SP

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.09736126010415

• Palavras-chave: Water losses. Water supply. Smart city.

• Keywords: Water losses. Water supply. Smart city.

• Abstract:

  Water losses in distribution systems compromise the sustainability of public utilities providing this service, as well as the private sector, which has been active in this area with the aim of reducing costs. Nationally, the average total losses among water utilities range from 35% to 55%. The costs and investments required to expand the production and distribution of treated water are quite high. Consequently, companies must seek solutions to address this high level of losses. Thus, the objective of this study is to implement measures to reduce water losses in a water distribution system, specifically in the district of Bueno de Andrade in the municipality of Araraquara – SP. To this end, system operation data were monitored, such as volumes produced, volumes measured by micrometers, electricity consumption, and pressures in the distribution network, making it possible to estimate the system’s loss indicators. To reduce water losses in the district of Bueno de Andrada, a methodology was proposed comprising several actions, ranging from the installation of a macro flow meter to control production; real-time monitoring of system pressures; conducting a survey for non-visible leaks; and replacing the existing fleet of velocimetric and volumetric water meters with radio-frequency volumetric meters. Following the implementation of these measures, it was found that the distribution loss rate decreased from 52% to 12%. The replacement of water meters with radio-frequency volumetric meters alone resulted in an average increase of 2.33% in the volume consumed. The installation of a new large-capacity flow meter in the production system highlighted the critical importance of properly monitoring the volume produced to ensure the reliability of this data. It is not acceptable to monitor production volume in a water distribution system based on estimates derived from the manufacturer’s pump curve; measurement is necessary to maintain control. The combined actions of investigating non-visible leaks and real-time pressure monitoring help reduce physical losses in the system, making it possible to locate leaks quickly, as a system alert is triggered the moment pressures drop significantly, indicating a trend toward the emergence of a new leak. Thus, the leak detection team is immediately dispatched to locate potential leaks in the field, ensuring an immediate response time.