Water quality modelling in distribution networks.

The thesis is a treatise of the quantity and quality aspects of potable water in distribution systems. The privatisation of the UK Water Industry in 1989 has seen the requirement for the Water Companies in England and Wales to be responsible for the delivery of good quality water that meets the demand of all consumers. In respect of the quantity of supply, there have been many previous studies that have examined the hydraulic performance of distribution systems and there are now many proprietary mathematical models that have been successfully used in this study. However, in respect of water quality the literature review has highlighted that the modelling approach is not so well advanced, as water quality is a function of many concepts, processes and parameters that include the source and age of water, the condition and deterioration of the assets in the system, the microbiological, chemical and physical processes and the network hydraulic performance, including pressure transients. These processes are highly interactive and complex. In an attempt to better understand these processes a programme of research has been completed that has involved a field evaluation of the performance of a live system, including the development of instrumentation to continually measure water quality, and the development of a mathematical model to describe the processes associated with the age of water and the propagation of conservative and non-conservative substances. An initial attempt has also been made to develop a micro-biological model and a sediment transport model. New original concepts developed by the author include age, biological and diagnostic models that may be used to identify the source of any incident (hydraulic or pollution) and the application of the model in near real time