Performance Modeling and Simulation for Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection Networks
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Date
2016-12-14
Authors
Ganjidoost, Amin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
Over the past decade many performance indicators have been developed for water and wastewater utilities. While existing performance indicators allow utilities to track performance over time and with respect to utility set objectives, they do not allow comparison of a utility’s performance with respect to another utility. To overcome this deficiency in performance indicators, a series of water and wastewater benchmarking performance indicators are developed that are aggregated into 1) infrastructure, 2) socio-political, and 3) financial. These indicators are normalized and time-integrated to capture the cumulative adjustments made by the utility. A functional demonstration for validation is presented using the Rehan et al. (2013) system dynamics model for three Ontario water utilities with a pay-as-you-go financing strategy to benchmark, forecast and graphically compare each utility’s performance over a 100-year benchmarking period. Results demonstrate that different water utilities can be benchmarked against each other using the benchmarking performance indicators. This will allow water utilities’ management practices to be compared locally, regionally and nationally regardless of the utility size (small, medium or large) to identify opportunities for improvements and best practices.
An implementation framework for water distribution and wastewater collection networks asset management strategy is then developed comprising of three decision-making layers: 1) “visions & values”, 2) “function”, and 3) “performance”. The asset management strategy framework is then implemented and validated through demonstration of functionality and value by using data from three utilities in Ontario, Canada. Results indicate that the three utilities studied achieve the strategic targets established in the visions & values layer over the benchmarking period (100 years).
A causal loop diagram for integrated asset management of water distribution and wastewater collection networks is presented. The causal loop diagram lays out the connection points and identifies the interacting feedback loops that exist among the integrated system components. The causal loop diagram is then translated into a system dynamics model comprised of integrated infrastructure, finance and socio-political sectors. The model data requirements and specific tests and procedures to validate the integrated system dynamics model are presented. The integrated model is implemented for a case study of a medium-sized Canadian municipality. The result indicates that the financial capacity to pay for capital and operational expenditures increases due to the integration of the financial resources of water and wastewater utilities and thus improves the integrated levels of service.
In practice, water utilities’ stakeholders can use the benchmarking performance indicators and asset management models developed in this research to negotiate and enact meaningful strategic targets and policy levers that lead to the sustainable asset management of the water distribution and wastewater collection networks over the life cycle of assets.
Description
Keywords
Asset Management, Benchmarking, System Dynamics, Water Distribution Network, Wastewater Collection Network, Performance Indicator