Under the streets, roads, and right-aways through most cities of America lies thousands of miles of pipeline, an amazing maze of different-sized pipes that feed the cities and towns fresh drinking water under pressure for consumption and fire protection What is a Water Distribution System?
A Water Distribution System is composed of a network of pipes, valves, and pumps through which potable water is moved from a treatment plant to homes, offices, industries, and other consumers it includes storage facilities to store water, meters to measure water use, and hydrants for firefighting.
We all know what a broken water main looks like. It can stop traffic, cause fire hazards, and literally stop a city or community from functioning. This affects everyone, from residents to online businesses. With growing populations in most of the country, the demand for better working infrastructure increases.
Water Distribution System
The components of a Water Distribution System start here.
Water Source (Water Supply)
A Water Distribution System is part of a water supply network with components that carry potable water from a centralized treatment plant or wells to consumers to satisfy residential, commercial, industrial, and firefighting requirements.
Drinking water comes from a variety of different sources. As water makes its way through the hydrologic cycle, it comes back to land in the form of precipitation (rain, sleet, snow, etc.). Some of it is captured in lakes and rivers, while some of it percolates into the earth’s surface and becomes groundwater another water supply.
Distribution Network: Distribution Pipes Water Supply Supply System Water Sources
Groundwater can be pumped back up through groundwater wells and surface water can be treated and delivered to customers. In order for water to continue to flow out of the faucet when it is turned on by customers, it requires a network of pipes, pumps, storage, and other components which make up a distribution system.
Surface water is carried through pipelines, aqueducts, and canals to the treatment plants for processing before being delivered to customers. The other primary source of drinking water supply comes from underground aquifers.
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be extracted. Groundwater is extracted using wells. Wells can also be owned and operated by a water supplier or they can be owned and operated by a wholesaler who sells the water to a supplier.
A water supplier operating a water distribution system must either operate their own drinking water treatment plant or purchase water from a drinking water treatment plant if they intend to use surface water as a supply source.
Various names refer to a company that distributes water to customers. Some examples include water retailers, water utilities, water districts, water agencies, water purveyors, and water suppliers. These terms may be used throughout this text with the understanding they all virtually mean the same thing.
Water Treatment Plant
- The water Plant where impurities are removed or inactivated is where the Water Distribution System starts.
- Water Storage Tanks are sized to meet consumer demand and reserves for Firefighting
- Transmission lines are untapped large pipes that carry water from the Treatment Plant to the Water Distribution System.
- Distribution mains carry water from the Transmission lines and distribute it throughout the community where its tapped for customers’ connections.
- Service lines or laterals are smaller pipelines that run from the Distribution mains to customers’ properties.
- Shut-offs are located within regular intervals so areas can be isolated for repair or maintenance.
- Hydrants are located at street intersections for fire prevention.
Types of Water Distribution Systems
The method of distribution depends upon the topography of the area. The following method or system may be adopted for distribution:
- Gravity system.
- Combined gravity and pumping system.
- Pumping system.
Gravity system
In the gravity system, the source of water supply is so located with respect to the area of distribution that water is available with sufficient pressure at various points of the area. No pumping is normally required.
Purification units are located on a hill, and the source of water supply is also located behind the hill, pumping may be required to convey water from the raw water source to the purification works.
Combined gravity and pumping system
This distribution network is the most common system adopted in most cases. Generally, the water purification works are located almost at the same level as the area of distribution. The water from the elevated reservoir then flows under gravity, as illustrated.
Pumping system in the water distribution system
In this system design, water is pumped directly into the distribution system to achieve the required pressure. Such a system is not desirable. Generally, double pumping is required, first to pump raw water from the source to the treatment works and then to pumps have to be run at varying speeds according to the variation in the distribution.
Storage and distribution reservoirs
Storage water and distribution reservoirs are important units in a modern distribution system. Clearwater storage until it is pumped into the service reservoir or water distribution reservoir. The capacity to store filtered water corresponds to 14 to 16 hours of average daily flow for storage when pumps are idle.
Water Distribution System
After Drinking Water is treated drinking water delivery suppliers add potable water to the Distribution system where it’s used for fire protection and consumed by communities for drinking water. The four major water supply distribution systems, are tree, gridiron, ring, and radial.
A grid/looped system, which consists of connected pipe loops throughout the area to be served, is the most widely used configuration in large municipal areas. In this type of system, there are several pathways that the water can follow from the source to the consumer
Once the source brings the water to the water supplier, it must make its way through a network of pipes, facilities, and various appurtenances (an accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living) in order for water to get to the customer this is done by :
Pipelines
- Transmission Mains
- Distribution Mains
- Service Laterals
Facilities
- Storage Structures
- Pump Stations
- Pressure Reducing Stations
Appurtenances
- Valves
- Angle Joints
- Fire Hydrants
- Meters
What is a Drinking Water Treatment Plant?
Drinking water treatment plants treat raw H2O from ground or surface supplies to be used by their communities using:
Chemical processes-oxidation, coagulation
Physical processes-flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, adsorption
Disinfection with ultraviolet light.
Biological activated carbon (BAC) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Read more
Components of a Water Distribution System
A municipal water supply system is made up of pipelines, pumps, water storage facilities, and other distribution accessories. The main components include:
- Water source: The sources of drinking water can come from groundwater, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, canals, rainwater, and saltwater.
- Water purification & treatment facilities: Different treatment systems are used depending on the source of the water.
- Transmission & distribution systems: The treated water system is transported from the source via water mains and sub-mains to the end-users.
- Storage systems: these may include water tanks, reservoirs, and water towers. In smaller systems, pressure vessels and cisterns may be used.
- Pumping stations: in order to maintain optimal water pressure, additional pressurizing components, called pumping stations, are often used.
- Accessories: these may include support components such as valves, service lines, generators, meters, fire hydrants, and other accessories needed to ensure a smoothly running system.
Pipelines
Pipelines are arteries and veins of a water distribution system. They are in a variety of lengths and sizes and deliver water throughout a wide range of areas. They are commonly referred to as transmission, distribution, and water service mains/pipes. Transmission mains play an important role in bringing water sources to the distribution system. Transmission mains are large diameter pipes, which travel long distances carrying large volumes of water.
Facilities
A water supplier has a variety of facilities to store and move water through the distribution system. The information below is not a complete list of facilities but it is a basic overview of common facilities within a distribution system. Storage structures, pumps, and pressure control valves are common among most water distribution systems.
Appurtenances
Appurtenance is a generic term commonly used for miscellaneous components throughout a distribution system. They are the “joints” and parts used to hold the distribution system together, monitor flows, allow it to flow, and stop water from flowing. In this section, angle joints, fire hydrants, and meters.
Meters
The last appurtenance we will discuss in this text is a water meter. Meters are very important for tracking the amount of water traveling in, out, or through a distribution system. Meters are commonly placed on pump stations and wells to track the water being pumped into a distribution system. Or, if the pump station is boosting water sources to a different zone, it is important to track the amount of water entering a particular zone. The most common location for water meters is at the customer service connection.
Conclusion:
Under the streets, roads, and right-aways through most cities of America lies thousands of miles of pipeline, an amazing maze of different-sized pipes that feed the cities and towns fresh drinking water under pressure for consumption and fire protection.
A Water Distribution System is composed of a network of pipes, valves, and pumps through which potable water is moved from a treatment plant to homes, offices, industries, and other consumers it includes storage facilities to store water, meters to measure water use, and hydrants for firefighting.
A Water Pump Station is used for efficient, reliable transportation and distribution of treated drinking water from one site to another also called a pumphouse in situations such as drilled wells they contain pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another without human input ……………………………………………………………………………. Read more
