Water Source

The engineering significance of the water source is primarily related to the water elevation and the water quality. The water elevation will determine the extent of pumping required to maintain adequate flows in the network. The range of elevations of the water source must be known as a function of flow rates and seasons of the year. Typical water sources include reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers.

Water quality is largely determined by the source. Surface water sources typically have low dissolved solids but high suspended solids. As a result, treatment of such sources requires coagulation followed by sedimentation and filtration to remove the suspended solids. Ground-water sources are low in suspended solids, but they may be high in dissolved solids and reduced compounds. Ground-water, if high in dissolved solids, requires chemical precipitation or ion exchange processes for the removal of dissolved ions.

Transmission Line

The transmission line is required to convey water from the sources and storage to the distribution of the system. Arterial main lines supply water to the various loops in the distribution system. The main lines should be arranged in loops or in parallel to allow for repairs. Such lines are designed using the Hazen-Williams formula for single pipes [Eq. (8.1)], and the equivalent pipe method for single loops. Multiple loops are designed using Hardy Cross methodology