Performance optimization in groundwater supply systems: Nadowli small town water supply scheme as a case

Abstract

Performance optimization in groundwater supply systems promotes operational efficiency by reducing energy use and maintaining adequate water flow and pressure, leading to cost savings and prolonged equipment lifespan. In Nadowli township, groundwater is a vital water source for the community. However, rapid population growth, climate variability, and increasing water demand have placed significant pressure on the existing small-town pipe water system. The system faces inefficiencies such as high energy consumption, excessive head loss, and inadequate flow rates, leading to water rationing and production shortfalls. This study focuses on optimizing the Nadowli Water Supply System to minimize energy consumption while ensuring that key hydraulic parameters (flow rate, head loss, and velocity) are maintained within acceptable limits to meet the demand gap of the town. The research utilized EPAnet 2.2 to simulate the hydraulic performance of the Nadowli Water Supply System, analyzing velocities, flow rates, and head losses across the network. The Flowius application was the data collection tool employed. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization technique was then applied to minimize energy consumption by adjusting pipe diameters. The objective function integrated hydraulic constraints such as flow rate, velocity, and head loss to ensure system efficiency while reducing operational costs. The optimization resulted in a significant reduction in energy consumption by the pumps, with values decreasing from 0.48 kWh/m³ to 0.35 kWh/m³ for PU-1, 0.48 kWh/m³ to 0.37 kWh/m³ for PU-2, and 0.52 kWh/m³ to 0.42 kWh/m³ for PU-3. Resulting in an average of 0.11 kWh/m³, while head loss decreased from 12.31 m/km to 7 m/km The optimization study also led to a 22 % reduction in daily production costs and an 83.9 % decrease in operational hours, with total pump operation time reduced from 149.64 hours/day to 24.09 hours/day. The findings therefore showed the importance of optimizing pipe networks and pump efficiency to ensure sustainable, cost-effective groundwater supply systems.