Holding back the water

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The seeds for effective pipeline maintenance are sown even before the first pipe in a water distribution network is laid. The secret lies in the detailed preplanning of a project: the master plan.

"The aim is to build a water distribution network to last as long as possible and then to extend its lifespan through adequate maintenance," explains Jean-Claude Ambert, senior vice president international development Middle East for SUEZ Environment. "You need to preempt the future and think about what demand will be like five or 10 years ahead and what is going to happen with town planning."

By considering how consumption patterns will change and the potential strain the network will be under, the diameter of pipes can be matched to future demand at the layout and design phase. Through optimising the project at this stage, it will be possible to achieve the longest potential lifespan for the network and maximum flow to end-users.

Adequate maintenance is fundamental to increasing the longevity of a network and to providing a reliable water supply, so a maintenance strategy needs to be thought through early on in the planning phase in order for key elements to be worked into the design, such as creating suitable access, building in sufficient hydrants and dividing the network into zones for flow monitoring.

Perfect pipes

Until about 25 years ago, poor pipe selection was at the root of many pipeline failures, but engineers are now much wiser about the cost implications of bad planning. Furthermore, advances in technology have expanded the range of useable and durable materials available, such as polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene.

Nevertheless, the choice of pipe still influences the performance of a system, its ability to cope with increased demand and the amount of maintenance it needs. So it is crucial to get this right.

The material should be selected based on local conditions and needs specific to each project, and not, as Ambert points out, based on cost factors. Afterall, the main expense of setting up a pipeline is the trenching work, which generally remains the same regardless of the type of pipe used.

Conducting a thorough assessment of the local environment also enables appropriate measures to protect the pipes to be included in the design, such as using cathodic protection for steel pipes located near power cables and polyethylene-sleeves in corrosive soil areas. Such precautions will lessen the need for remedial repair later. Similarly, pipelines can be routed away from potential contaminants.

After the project blueprint has been drawn up, it is essential to test the design using hydraulic simulation software to check the flow, as pressure affects the pipes' resistance and the network performance. A well designed and thoroughly tested network should suffer fewer failures and therefore be much easier to maintain.

Ambert also believes a geographic information system (GIS), which holds precise information about the network and its subcomponents, such as valves, connections and pipes to end-users, all of which can all fail, to be essential. "Modern network management needs a good map of the network to manage and reduce leaks," he says.

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