Design of District Metered Areas for Existing Water Distribution Networks

The management and operation of water distribution networks (WDNs) by establishing district metered areas (DMAs), especially in existing and old WDNs, has many advantages, including water leakage control, ease of operation, and network management in emergencies. Using DMAs in existing WDNs designed and developed traditionally is a challenging issue because of the need to cover several criteria. In the present study, a method for creating DMAs is suggested to minimize the cost as well as to reduce the average pressure in high-pressure WDNs. The proposed method uses the Girvan-Newman clustering and nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGAII) optimization algorithms. This method was implemented on Modena's and Wolf-Cordera Ranch's WDNs. The proposed method can generate several solutions based on performance indicators, including cost, hydraulics, and quality. The results show that by applying the proposed method in the Modena and Wolf-Cordera Ranch WDNs, the average pressure of the networks was reduced by 17% and 31%, respectively, in comparison with the primary WDNs in the base demand and peak demand conditions. This method can be used by water utilities for partitioning WDNs, especially when the pressure is high.