Cost-effective leakage reduction through district metering

A new stochastic water distribution network (WDN) modelling tool has been developed with the aim of providing a sound basis for cost-effective strategic planning of WDN monitoring schemes in terms of quantifiable leakage. Through an analysis of uncertainties in water demand and its propagation through a WDN, the developed computer tool recommends the most cost-effective solution in terms of the number and location of monitoring sites necessary to increase the probability of identifying the location of leaks (or other system anomalies). The methodology was tested on a medium-sized WDN in the UK and the results are presented in this paper.