5 Water Supply Challenges and Achievements in Constanta County
179
It currently delivers a flow of 3.75 m
3 /s, pumped to the complex storage—treatment
facility Palas, Constanta. The pumping station is equipped with five electro-pumps,
with pumping heads between 90 and 110 mwc. The pumping station includes a
chlorination facility. From the source, the water is taken by the 2 × DN 1000 mm
and 2 × DN 1200 mm mains and transported to the storage-pumping facility Palas
at a distance of 17.4 km [21].
The surface water source was designed to cope with the increase in drinking
water consumption, on the seaside, during the summer, when Constanta receives
many tourists.
The management of Constanta water supply system is oriented to water quality
and safety, maximal efficiency and minimal environmental impact; therefore a continuous assessment of all its components performance is carried out. As a large water
supply system, it faces issues related to the aging of infrastructure, energy efficiency
decline and non-revenue water, due to leakage in the distribution system. Generally
speaking, the [9] assesses the distribution losses between 5 and 50%, being much
larger than production losses that range between 2 and 10%. The 2014 water balance of Constanta water supply system showed considerable water losses; therefore
a comprehensive action was launched, focusing on the real losses in the network and
unbilled consumption. In fact, this action is part of an extensive regional project for
the whole Constanta County water infrastructure development.
In the rural area, medium or small water supply system mainly take water from
local underground sources. The most used sources are the wells in Medgidia, in
the central part of the county, Costinesti, Albesti, Vartop, Pecineaga, Dulcesti and
Biruinta in the Southern part.
We will refer to the Dulcesti water supply system as an example of a small system.
The village Dulcesti, situated at approximately 30 km South from Constanta, Fig. 5.6,
has 1413 inhabitants. The Dulcesti groundwater source is located in the South-Eastern
part of the village and consists of a total of 16 wells with depths ranging from 56 to
80 m. Only 11 wells are in operation and have a total capacity of 1165 m
3 /h (324 l/s).
At present, three of them are supplying Dulcesti village [23].
The whole source feeds not only Dulcesti but also some resorts on the Southern
coast and occasionally Mangalia when extra water demand occurs.
The main that brings water to Dulcesti is 2 km in length and 150 mm in diameter.
There are no treatment and storage facilities, and currently, the village is not
provided with the fire water reserve, the volume of compensation and the volume of
damage.
The water captured from the Dulcesti source is pumped from the wells directly
into the distribution network. The water disinfection is carried out in the pipeline,
right at the source and the chlorination plant is rudimentary. The distribution network
of Dulcesti is made of HDPE pipes with diameters between 63 and 160 mm. The
total unfold length is 15.9 km. The branched water distribution network in Dulcesti
is directly supplied by pumps mounted in wells. The network faces large amounts of
water loss; therefore, the actual flow rate is 28.11 l/s instead of the demand which is
only 15.26 l/s [5].
179
It currently delivers a flow of 3.75 m
3 /s, pumped to the complex storage—treatment
facility Palas, Constanta. The pumping station is equipped with five electro-pumps,
with pumping heads between 90 and 110 mwc. The pumping station includes a
chlorination facility. From the source, the water is taken by the 2 × DN 1000 mm
and 2 × DN 1200 mm mains and transported to the storage-pumping facility Palas
at a distance of 17.4 km [21].
The surface water source was designed to cope with the increase in drinking
water consumption, on the seaside, during the summer, when Constanta receives
many tourists.
The management of Constanta water supply system is oriented to water quality
and safety, maximal efficiency and minimal environmental impact; therefore a continuous assessment of all its components performance is carried out. As a large water
supply system, it faces issues related to the aging of infrastructure, energy efficiency
decline and non-revenue water, due to leakage in the distribution system. Generally
speaking, the [9] assesses the distribution losses between 5 and 50%, being much
larger than production losses that range between 2 and 10%. The 2014 water balance of Constanta water supply system showed considerable water losses; therefore
a comprehensive action was launched, focusing on the real losses in the network and
unbilled consumption. In fact, this action is part of an extensive regional project for
the whole Constanta County water infrastructure development.
In the rural area, medium or small water supply system mainly take water from
local underground sources. The most used sources are the wells in Medgidia, in
the central part of the county, Costinesti, Albesti, Vartop, Pecineaga, Dulcesti and
Biruinta in the Southern part.
We will refer to the Dulcesti water supply system as an example of a small system.
The village Dulcesti, situated at approximately 30 km South from Constanta, Fig. 5.6,
has 1413 inhabitants. The Dulcesti groundwater source is located in the South-Eastern
part of the village and consists of a total of 16 wells with depths ranging from 56 to
80 m. Only 11 wells are in operation and have a total capacity of 1165 m
3 /h (324 l/s).
At present, three of them are supplying Dulcesti village [23].
The whole source feeds not only Dulcesti but also some resorts on the Southern
coast and occasionally Mangalia when extra water demand occurs.
The main that brings water to Dulcesti is 2 km in length and 150 mm in diameter.
There are no treatment and storage facilities, and currently, the village is not
provided with the fire water reserve, the volume of compensation and the volume of
damage.
The water captured from the Dulcesti source is pumped from the wells directly
into the distribution network. The water disinfection is carried out in the pipeline,
right at the source and the chlorination plant is rudimentary. The distribution network
of Dulcesti is made of HDPE pipes with diameters between 63 and 160 mm. The
total unfold length is 15.9 km. The branched water distribution network in Dulcesti
is directly supplied by pumps mounted in wells. The network faces large amounts of
water loss; therefore, the actual flow rate is 28.11 l/s instead of the demand which is
only 15.26 l/s [5].