Rural water distribution system with groundwater supply and water tower: Numerical modelling in EPANET 2.2

The paper focuses on the numerical modelling of a rural Water Distribution System (WDS), supplied from a deep well, from which the water is pumped in a water tower (storage tank). Consumers are fed gravitationally from the water tower, with variable demand over 24 hours. Simulations were carried out in EPANET 2.2 using two methods: Demand Driven Analysis (DDA) with outflow issuing from emitters, and Pressure Driven Analysis (PDA). To minimize numerical instabilities, a particular attention was paid to the groundwater well (modelled both with variable, and constant hydrodynamic level), as well as to the connection of the water tower to WDS (where the connection was made either using 2 pipes, or a single pipe). By applying the DDA and PDA methods to the resulting 2×2 configurations of the hydraulic system, a total of 8 sets of simulations (solutions) were obtained and compared. The most advantageous pair of method and configuration is recommended to be considered when modelling a complex (e.g. urban size) WDS with groundwater supply and storage tanks.