The operational value of inlet monitoring at service reservoirs

Drinking water quality leaving water treatment works is known to deteriorate as it makes its way through distribution networks. As deterioration rates are related to the condition of the network and how it is operated, it is important to determine the location and magnitude so that causes can be determined and effective maintenance implemented. Water quality is typically monitored at outlets of service reservoirs to help track changing water quality. However, these results do not confirm whether the issue is linked to the network between treatment and the service reservoir, the service reservoir itself, or both. The work in this paper investigates the value of using inlet monitoring at service reservoirs to overcome this limitation. Results show that monitoring at both the inlet and outlet of service reservoirs provides valuable information on asset performance and highlights the location and extent of deterioration helping inform cost-efficient resource provision.