4 Types of Water Distribution Network

4 TYPES OF WATER DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
Water is essential to life. In fact, the existence of life depends on it since life,
as we know it, can only thrive where water is present. Humans in particular are so
dependent to water. This need for water though is not a big problem since water
is abundant, rather the problem lies in the acquisition and delivery of water. Water
distribution networks aim to solve this problem. Modern water distribution systems
provide instantaneous service, providing humans with reliable, adequate and
safe water in the comfort of their homes. Although the construction and
installation of water distribution systems has a huge cost and could take a
significant amount of time, the benefits still greatly exceed the cost.
Water distribution networks are composed of a system of pipes with varying
sizes and compositions. It aims to deliver adequate and safe water to a
community, from a small town to a big urban city. Aside from its capability to
deliver water, there are other two main considerations in the design of water
distribution network: cost and its maintenance. The design should be made
according to the population and financial capacity of the community where the
water distribution network is intended to. Also, in case of problems and repairs, it
is imperative that the distribution of water is still operational. The design wouldn’t
be effective if simple repairs can interrupt the service of the whole community.
There are four basic types of water distribution networks. Each has its own
advantages and disadvantages. The four basic types of water distribution
networks are: dead end system, grid iron system, ring system, and radial system.
Dead end water distribution system provides one main pipeline usually
placed in the middle of the community. In this main pipeline, other pipes are
connected to it and depending on the distance of the house being serviced, the
pipes will branch off from one pipe to another. The pipes directly connected to
the main pipe is the sub main pipe and it is where the residential and commercial
pipes connect to. This design is simple and its installation has lesser cost and takes
lesser time. Since pipes are directly connected to the main pipe, discharge
quantity can be easily calculated. The disadvantage of this design is that since
sub main pipes are the source of water, a repair at the part of the sub main pipe
will result to water interruption in the whole branch connected to it because water
only flows from one direction. Another problem with this design is that the further
the pipes, the lesser the pressure, thus there will be difficulty in delivering water to
remote locations. Also, since there are dead ends, there is a certain part in the
system where water becomes stagnant and sediments tend to pile up in the dead
ends which will require additional maintenance cost.
Grid iron water distribution system eliminates the problem from dead end
system wherein water is only expected to flow from one direction. In grid iron
system, the main pipeline is still at the center of the community with the sub main
pipes perpendicularly connected to it. Branch pipes are connected
perpendicularly to the sub main pipes, interconnecting all the sub main pipes and
creating a closed system. This closed system ensures that no stagnation of water
occurs and that water can flow from different directions. This means that repairs
done will barely affect the community since water can be acquired from a
different direction. This is important especially in the case of fire where a large
amount of water will be needed to put out fires. In this type of system head loss is
also kept at a minimum since pipes are interconnected. The disadvantage of this
system is its cost. This type of water distribution system is more complicated than
the dead end system, thus, will require more technical workers and can take
much more time to install. Also, due the nature of the system, discharges and
pressures will be harder to calculate which can be a big problem in choosing the
right and size of pipes.
Ring water distribution system is somehow similar to the grid iron system
because water can be obtained from different directions too. In this type of
system, the main pipeline creates a loop around the community which is
completely different from dead end and grid iron system. From this loop, sub main
pipes and branch pipes are connected. The sub main pipes and branch pipes
are also connected with each other, creating a loop within a loop. This type of
system, same with the grid iron system, ensures that water flows continuously and
that water can be obtained from at least two directions. The advantages and
disadvantages of this system are the same with the grid iron system except the
cost will be lesser. The cut in the cost is due to the fact that not all the sub main
and branch pipes within the closed system are interconnected with each other
which means that some pipes will have shorter lengths.
Radial water distribution system unlike the other types of water distribution
system makes use of distribution reservoirs. In radial system, the main pipeline
passes through the middle of the community, sub main pipes then are connected
to the main pipe which feeds the individual distribution reservoirs which are
generally of elevated type. In this system, the whole community is divided into
districts or zones. Each zone has a distribution reservoir wherein branch pipes are
connected to it. The branch pipes connected to the reservoir will distribute the
water to the surrounding residential and commercial buildings of that distribution
reservoir. The advantage of this is that there is a quick distribution service and
discharge calculations are easier to do. The downside, however, is the cost. Since
this type of water distribution system requires the construction of additional facility
which is the distribution reservoir, this also means additional cost. Also, since water
is obtained only from one direction, repairs in the pipes that feeds the distribution
reservoir can lead to water service interruption to the whole district where that
distribution reservoir belongs. Unless two or more pipes feeds the distribution
reservoir, a repair in the sub main pipe will completely shut off the water service
of a particular district.
CONCLUSION
There are factors that needs to be considered in the design of a water

distribution system. Aside from the cost, maintenance and efficiency of the system
should be meticulously studied. Maintenance is vital in keeping the system
functional and preventing it from failing. Maintenance is a necessity in every
facility, thus, it is done habitually. If a system is prone to problems and repairs, it
will generate additional costs. Even if the cost of construction and installation is
cheap but a lot of additional costs are generated by the maintenance, then the
system is not economical. It defeats the purpose of choosing the design for
cheaper cost. Next important factor to be considered is the efficiency of the
system. If a water distribution system cannot continue its operation if a repair in
one of the pipes is being done, then the system is not efficient. The delay or
interruption of service has a cost too. Commercial establishments could be losing
revenue due to the water service interruption which could have been avoided
given a more appropriate design was chosen. These loss in revenue due to
opportunity losses can impact the community indirectly. Although there is no
additional cost on the maintenance or repairs, the lost revenues will result in lesser
taxes or lead the collapse of small businesses. This will then affect the economy of
the community. Thus, in choosing the right design, one should also evaluate the
costs of maintenance and the costs of opportunity losses should a repair be
made. Out of all the four types of water distribution system, I think that the ring
water distribution system is the best design since it allows obtaining water from
other directions which prevents complete shutdown if ever a repair is made. Also,
no sediments will pile up since water flows continuously throughout the system.
This should not be generalized though because there are a lot of other factors
that needs to be considered in choosing the design such as population,
geography and topography, etc. that makes the other types of water distribution
system a better fit for a specific community.
REFERENCES:
https://sswm.info/sswm-university-course/module-2-centralised-and-decentralised-systems-water-and-
sanitation-1/network-design-and-dimensioning
https://www.wateronline.com/doc/water-distribution-system-challenges-and-solutions-0001
https://theconstructor.org/environmental-engg/water-distribution-system-layout/21217/

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4 TYPES OF WATER DISTRIBUTION

There are factors that needs to be considered in the design of a water

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