Online Security Management and Reliability Toolkit for Water Distribution Networks – SMaRT-OnlineWDN

To this extent, four main research goals have been defined, 1) Online simulation model considering hydraulic state and water quality, 2) Optimal location of sensors based on the online simulation model, 3) Online source identification of contaminants and 4) Risk analysis, identification and evaluation of impacts (real impacts and perceived ones). Eight WPs were necessary to realize the SMaRT-OnlineWDN toolbox:
Task 1: Specification of the Online Security Management Toolkit;
Task 2: Smart Sensor and Alarm Generation in Water Distribution Networks.
Task 3: Optimal Location of physical chemical multi-probe Sensors.
Task 4: Transport Model. 1) Specify what phenomena should be considered, 2) Take investigations at a laboratory scale about phenomena that are not well understood 3) Formulate equations mathematically and seek a solution method 4) Adapt CFD code to one-dimensional code that is affordable for large–scale network and finally 5) Test in the real world.
Task 5: Implementation of an online simulation model that includes boundary conditions and equipment state updates or parameterisation, graph aggregation and online demand calibration with focus on water network security;
Task 6: Online-Source Identification, counter-measures and Risk Management;
Task 7: Risk Analysis, Impact Assessment and perception;
Task 8: Application tests both at Technical scale and real word.

Highlights and primary achievements are:
- Optimal placement of multi-probe sensors for design of an early warning detection system
o The optimal sensor placement was conducted for all the SEDIF network and 200 multi-probe sensors (operated by VEDIF);
o It was found that path nodes, obtained from network simplification are ideal candidates for placing sensors for designing an early warning detection system.
- Alarm generation
o A software solution was delivered for online alarm generation that is based on Principal Component Analysis. The software is real-time capable and runs at TZW pilot scale.
- Real-time modelling (with boundary conditions and parameter calibration every 10 minutes) is made possible
o Reliable and online simulation of large-size WDN network thanks to graph simplification,
o Real-time demand calibration.
- Identification of contamination sources by enumeration of potential locations
o The method uses binary information from alarm generation to backtrack to potential contamination sources. New modules were delivered in Porteau (Isrtea) and Sir 3S (3S Consult).
- Transport modelling
o It was shown that incomplete mixing occurs in some configurations;
o A TZW pilot scale set that is designed according to statistics of T-, Cross and N-junctions on real networks;
o A software solution was released contaminant transport and for imperfect mixing that uses an experiment-based lookup table and Kriging interpolation at cross and double-tee junctions.
- Risk analysis designed for intentional and accidental contaminations (chemical or biological) in drinking water distribution network.
o Fuzzy logic was used to aggregate the four nested levels (sensitivity of consumers + network intrinsic vulnerability + consequence evaluation + risk assessment).
- Perception and social mobilization. Survey on the 3 sites has focused mainly on the two concepts:
o Trust in drinking tap water and the consumer warning capabilities in case of real contamination.

The results of SMaRT-OnlineWDN can be further extended by applications for more efficient operations of water distribution networks. Energy savings and decreased CO2-emissions are high priority task for the future generations. The optimization of pump operations in real time can be realized by application of online-simulation techniques as well.

The usefulness of SMaRT-OnlineWDN for a drinking water utility is clear. It improves the observability of water quality and quantity in the distribution network in near real-time. It acts as an early warning system as well as decision-support system in case of contamination events. Furthermore it supports a better understanding of the physical and bio-chemical processes in the pipe systems. It can be used offline for training of staff by use of simulation. Three water supply operators will benefit from the outputs and data traceability technology, CUS and VEDIF in France and BWB in Germany.

Implementation of such a large sensor network will improve water traceability. This is a huge investment for operators and utilities. Even if online sensors fully wirelesses are now available, various strategic questions still remained to be answered especially: How many probe should be installed to reach water traceability from the drinking water plant to the consumer? Where are the best locations? Could we operate such system in real time for event detection? This project provides answers to these topics and contributes to develop such concept and create new services around water quality sensors network and water traceability.

This industrial research project gave rise to the production of about 15 articles in international and national peer-reviewed journals and more than 30 Refereed Papers in international conferences.

Two simulation software tools were extended for online use and security: those of partners Irstea and 3S Consult. The transport module of Porteau (©Irstea) was updated and extended to take a law of imperfect mixing at cross and double T-junctions into account. It is also possible to realize optimal sensor placements of physical and chemical multiprobe sensors, and to identify the potential sources of pollution from the model of transport and the positive or negative contamination event detections. The Sir 3S software solution completes the real-time management by a solution using the industrial connectivity standard OPC. The three SMaRT-OnlineWDN operators benefit from the outputs and data traceability technology. In the medium term, this technology can impact all the water utilities.

Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) are critical infrastructures that are exposed to deliberate or accidental contamination. Until now, no monitoring system is capable to protect a WDN in real time. Powerful online sensor systems are currently developed and the prototypes are capable to detect a small change in water quality. The immediate future consists in water service utilities that are installing their networks with water quantity and water quality sensors producing a continuous and huge data stream to treat. For taking appropriate decisions and countermeasures, WDN operators will need to dispose of 1) reliable online models both for the hydraulics and water quality predictions and of 2) methods for contaminant source identification backtracking from the data history. Acquisition of such a huge data stream and assimilation raise a challenging problem.
The main objective of SMaRT-OnlineWDN is the development of an online security management toolkit for water distribution networks (WDN) that is based on sensor measurements of water quality as well as water quantity. Its field of application ranges from detection of deliberate contamination including source identification and decision support for effective countermeasures to improve operation and control of a WDN under normal and abnormal conditions (dual benefit). Detailed information regarding contamination sources (localization and intensity) is explored by means of an online running model, which is automatically calibrated to the measured sensor data. In this project, the technical research work is completed with a sociological, economical and management analysis.
SMaRT-OnlineWDN combines applied mathematics, civil and environment engineering, fluid mechanics research and social science and economics, in a pluridisciplinarity approach. To this extend, four main research objectives are defined as 1) Online Simulation Model considering hydraulic state and water quality, 2) Optimal Location of Sensors based on the online simulation model, 3) Online Source Identification of Contaminants and 4) Risk analysis, identification and evaluation of impacts (real impacts and perceived ones).
The French-German cooperative research project consists of end users (BWB in Germany, CUS and Veolia-Vedif in France), technical and socio-economic research institutions (Fraunhofer IOSB, TZW, Irstea, ENGEES) and industrial partners on both French and German sides (Veolia-Veri, 3S Consult). It ideally combines top-level research with the practical needs of water supply utilities. Among the main expected results, two simulation software tools are planned to be extended for online use: those of partners Irstea and 3S Consults. The Three WDN operators will benefit from the outputs and data traceability technology.