HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF KOFELE TOWN WATER SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Abstract

Knowledge about actual network performance during different operating situations is a key tool to control and manage the existing water supply systems or design new networks. This study was conducted in Kofele Town to assess the hydraulic performance of the water supply distribution system. Both secondary and primary data sources were used for this study. To analyze the existing water distribution system using Water GEMS V8i software. The model can be used to identify the zone of higher and lower pressure junctions and velocity through the pipe. The current total domestic water demand in town was 400 𝑚3 /day, and the average per capita domestic water consumption was 12.45 lit/person/day. The water flowing from the source to the system is not enough and low system efficiency was observed to satisfy the user community. According to simulated results; the maximum and and a minimum pressures were 119m and 2m respectively. The water loss of the town was 31.125% from the total water production. Hence, the water distribution network was faced frequent pipe bursts and failures during low demand times and exposed to a large volume of water loss. The average amount of water, which reached the consumers accounts only 68.875% of the total water produced and it is less than 75%..Generally the result of the analysis shows that the overall hydraulic performance of water distribution of the town was poor, which is reflected by low water production rate, low water consumption, and high level of Non-revenue water, low service coverage. Therefore, it is significant to rehabilitate and improve the water distribution system capacities, establishing pressure zone, increase pumping rate and drilling additional borehole. In addition providing more attention to water losses reduction policies and strategies are vital for remedial measures.