Reliability Performance Indices for Planning and Operational Evaluation of Main Tanks in Water Distribution Networks

Abstract

With the continuous progress of society and sustained economic development, the demand for water is increasing in most areas, and the efficient operation of urban water supply networks has become a vital basis for safeguarding daily life and production. Tanks are an essential component of water distribution systems because they are needed to balance the demand during water use peaks, reduce system pressure, and thus improve stability and service quality. Tanks must, therefore, be well designed to perform effectively. This study selected two typical distribution networks in Sharjah and Dubai and employed behaviour simulation (BS) to evaluate the performance of their associated tanks for various system configurations. Performance was characterized via time-based reliability (Rt) and volume-based reliability (Rv). Vulnerability analysis was also introduced to deeply analyze the data to reduce the risk of decision-making due to bias. The results show that tank design significantly affects network water supply, with system reliability influenced by tank capacity (Ka) and inflow. In addition, BS-based iso-reliability plots were developed to visually represent the impact of different reliability levels on required tank capacity. These curves provide a useful query tool for network designers and operators to evaluate configuration options and generate alternative scenarios.