University of Karbala

Civil Engineering
Department
M.Sc. Infrastructure Engineering
OPERATION , MAINTENANCE , AND
REHABILITATION OF WATER DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEMS

BY : Abathar Majed
introduction
A water distribution system, like any large complex system,
must be operated properly so that it performs at an
acceptable level of service. Thus it is necessary to put
systems in place to benchmark and guide operation and
maintenance actions to have optimal impact
Definition

Operation: refers to the procedures and activities involved in the

actual delivery of services, e.g. abstraction, treatment, pumping,
transmission and distribution of drinking water.

Routine operation, the activities to adjust the configuration of the

system to match with prevailing conditions.
Planning operation, set of criteria to simulate the operating
situations.
 Definition

Maintenance: refers to activities aimed at keeping existing capital assets

in serviceable condition, e.g. by repairing water distribution pipes, pumps
and public taps.
Maintenance deals with activities that keep the system in proper working
conditions, including management, cost recovery, repairs and preventive
maintenance, it may be preventive or reactive (crises).
The integrated elements of O & M
 Criteria for O&M

Technical standards of equipment's and spare parts, costs, availability

and accessibility
Dependence on fuel, power, chemicals, cost of O&M activities
Complexity of O&M procedures.
Potential for local manufactures
Use of local materials and equipment
Dependence on important parts
Technical options available on the market
Water demand
The lecture will discuss the operation and
maintenance of three components of water
: distribution system

Operation and maintenance of Pipes.

Operation and maintains of Reservoirs tanks.
Operation and maintenance of Pumps.
Operation and maintenance of pipes-1

Operational requirements of pipes include

the following:

The rated operating pressure of a pipe

should never be exceeded even for short
periods such as under water hammer
conditions.
Negative pressures should be avoided under
all operating conditions.
 Maintenance of pipes

Maintenance requirements of pipes include the following:

Check for pipe leaks through appropriate active leak detection methods at
regular intervals.
Flush pipes to remove accumulated sediments, especially those pipes
where low velocities are likely to occur such as dead-end pipes.
 Common operation and maintenance tasks

Locating pipes- 1

Changes in pipe direction, including bends and T-junctions, should be marked

with pipe markers so that it is possible to effectively locate a pipe for
maintenance or expansion purposes. Valve boxes and hydrants may also be
.useful markers for the location of a pipe
 2-Locating leaks

Various techniques exist for finding leaks through active detection. Some
methods are better suited to certain pipe materials and diameters, and
whether the pipe has service connections on it or not this methods includes:

A. Gas injection
B. Manual listening stick
C: Accelerometers.
D: Hydrophones.
E: In-line detection techniques.
F: Leak noise loggers
Repairing leaking pipes-3

The following steps are used to repair a leaking pipe:

Locate the failure from an external sign such as a water jet or wet area of soil.
Close isolation valves in the system to isolate the leak.
Ensure that the work area is safe for working.
Excavate the failed pipe section while ensuring worker safety and avoiding
further damage to the pipe.
Use an extractor pump capable of handling sludge to drain water from the trench.
Repair the failed pipe.
ensure that exposed and new sections of pipe are carefully cleaned
and disinfected
Flush the section using a hydrant to ensure that any contaminants and solids
are removed.
Some steps in the pipe repair process
Rehabilitation methods arranged from low to high cost -4

A range of techniques used to replace or rehabilitate

pipes with minimal excavation:
Cement-mortar lining
Epoxy lining
Slip lining
Cured-in-place
Horizontal or directional drilling

etc.
5-Disinfection

Pipes and fittings need to be disinfected before they are connected to the
distribution system, either when new pipes are installed or when pipes are
exposed for repairs. The first requirement is to keep the pipe as clean
as possible during all storage, transport and installation steps.
To disinfect the pipe it is first flushed to clear any dirt left in it before being
filled with water with a chlorine content of at least 25 mg/l for at least 24
hours.
The pipe is then flushed with potable water before connecting it to the rest
of the network.
When pipes are repaired they should also be flushed and disinfected.
Operation and maintains of Reservoirs tanks

Like other infrastructure,

reservoirs and water towers need
to be operated within their
design limits and well maintained
to ensure that they continue to
provide a high quality service. A
very important component is to
ensure that the stored water is
protected from contamination.
The main deterioration patterns that occur
:at reservoirs and water towers are as follows

Erosion of ground below and around reservoirs by rain, scour and overflow water.
Corrosion of metal or concrete elements submerged in water or subjected
to the high humidity inside a reservoir.
Contamination of stored water through rainwater, animals or even humans
entering the reservoir.
Chlorine depletion and disinfectant by-products forming when retention times of water
in the reservoir are too long.
Algae growth that can lead to taste and odours problems.
Silt build-up on the floor that
can cause dirty water and bacterial
contamination.
Operation

The operational plan of a reservoir is normally not done in isolation, but in

combination with other storage and pump facilities in the system.
Reservoir operation is closely linked to energy costs since pumps are
normally
used to fill reservoirs.
The most critical time for reservoir reliability is during the summer peak
demand period, where reservoir levels should be kept as high as possible and
maintenance crews should be on standby to repair leaks on the reservoir
feeder pipes as quickly as possible.
Should reservoir retention times be so high that chlorine levels are at risk of
being depleted
The weekly inspection and maintenance
:routine should include the following

Security fence, gate and lock and lighting.

Water meters for proper operation and leakage.
Pump station for proper operation of pumps and other equipment.
Pipework and reservoir for signs of leakage or reservoir overflow.
Check that water level indicators function correctly.
Take a water sample at the reservoir outlet and send for analysis.
Common operation and maintenance tasks

1-Reservoir cleaning: Reservoirs are mostly cleaned by staff entering the drained
reservoir to remove accumulated sediments.
The steps required to clean the reservoir are as
follows:
Empty the reservoir.
Collect accumulated sediments
Wash down the reservoir walls and
floor
Rinse the walls and floor
Inspect internal surfaces
Disinfect the reservoir
Common operation and maintenance tasks

Disinfection-2

the following disinfection procedure should be followed

A-Ensure that the walls and floor of the reservoir are clean.
Ensure that the scour valve is closed.
Prepare a solution of water with a pH less than 7.5 (for optimal action of
chlorine) and a chlorine concentration of 50 mg/l.
Operation and maintenance of pumps

Pump energy consumption often represents a major part of water supply operating
costs, and thus it is important to ensure that pumps are operated as efficiently as
possible.

Common operational problems that contribute to high energy use are:

Pumps should be tested to determine their operational pump curve
Pumps that are no longer pumping against their design head.
Pumps not running on their original curves due to deterioration of their impellers.
Various pumps starting at the same time.
a pump should never be throttled on its suction side as this can cause cavitation to occur in the
pump.
Maintenance

Health and safety requirements are very important in pump stations, including not
wearing loose clothing, preventing accidental contact with moving equipment,
switching off electricity when working on electrical equipment, ear protection and
ensuring that pumps are completely switched off.
Backup power supply should be tested regularly to ensure that it is in good operating
condition and starts up automatically.
Important points on operating pumps

Pumps should be provided with flow meters on their delivery sides, and
pressure gauges on both sides to allow their pump curves to be measured.
Pump efficiency is very important for operations costs, and thus pumps should
be selected based on the best possible efficiency, and operated at their best
operating points.
It is very expensive to fix NPSH problems after a pump installation, and thus it
is important that pump stations are designed in such a way that NPSH
requirements are met.
Backup pumps should be provided and regularly operated.
Pumps should be operated to minimize operational costs by staggering pump
starts and pumping during low electricity demand periods.
Thank you for listening