ABSTRACT

Water distribution systems (WDS) are considered a critical component of an urban infrastructure system. The problem of aging and deterioration is an inevitable and natural tendency of WDS infrastructures, although they are well designed, carefully protected and operated. Such deterioration issue is a growing concern to WDS managers. Water mains reach the end of its service life gradually. An obvious example is the growing number of burst pipes in some areas. The deterioration of WDS cause many negative effects to water utility and customers, such as an increase in the number of breakages, leakages, roughness growing and water quality deterioration. For customers, this results in a reduction of the quality of the service, whilst for water utilities, such deterioration results in operation and maintenance costs.