5 Water Supply Challenges and Achievements in Constanta County
181
• Pecineaga and Mosneni water pumping group consisting of three pumps, equipped
with frequency converters.
5.2.3 Efficiency of Drinkable Water Supply Systems
The Stockholm Statement [28] mentioned water as the ‘bloodstream of the green
economy’, pointing out its importance for people and environment. In this context,
efficiency and environmental impact are two of the most significant goals headed by
water management authorities. The efficiency of a water supply system is a comprehensive concept which deals with each component (resources, abstraction, treatment,
transport, pumping, and distribution), regarding energy efficiency, water loss, and
technical status. Different organisations have developed several performance indicators to conduct a comparative analysis of water supply system, a large number of
performance indicators.
Heider et al. [11] makes an extensive review of the literature regarding performance evaluation frameworks including several indicators that cover all the aspects
(e.g., physical asset, staffing, operational, customer satisfaction, economical). The
most rational and with widespread applicability is considered to be the evaluation
system (Heider et al. [11] carried out by International Water Association (IWA).
IWA introduced a series of performance indicators to assess water supply systems
performance and to compare water utilities in a coherent framework. The difficulty
relays in collecting data required to determine the performance indicators.
The Dobrogea-Litoral water utility assesses the most relevant IWA performance
indicators for all the zonal and local water systems. As in Constanta the water distribution network has 650 km of pipeline, and half of it is more than 40 years old,
the water losses are considerable and moreover, the hidden leakage spots are difficult to locate. In Constanta water supply system, the on-going rehabilitation project
was expected to improve the total real water losses, by decreasing this indicator by
6% during 2014–2020. This estimation was based on sonar detection methods of
water leakages. As in 2016, the water utility started to use a novel technology based
on satellite imagery to detect leaks and non-revenue-water, real losses are expected
to be considerably reduced. The hidden leaks are detected in real time, bringing a
consistent decrease to background leaks and water loss. The estimation made for the
entire network shows potential savings of 695,000 m
3 of water per year [20].
Real water losses include two categories: unavoidable annual real losses and
potentially recoverable real losses. Heider et al. [11] identifies four methods to recover
part of the second category losses:
• Leakage control;
• Pressure management;
• Speed and quality of repairs;
• Pipeline and asset management.
181
• Pecineaga and Mosneni water pumping group consisting of three pumps, equipped
with frequency converters.
5.2.3 Efficiency of Drinkable Water Supply Systems
The Stockholm Statement [28] mentioned water as the ‘bloodstream of the green
economy’, pointing out its importance for people and environment. In this context,
efficiency and environmental impact are two of the most significant goals headed by
water management authorities. The efficiency of a water supply system is a comprehensive concept which deals with each component (resources, abstraction, treatment,
transport, pumping, and distribution), regarding energy efficiency, water loss, and
technical status. Different organisations have developed several performance indicators to conduct a comparative analysis of water supply system, a large number of
performance indicators.
Heider et al. [11] makes an extensive review of the literature regarding performance evaluation frameworks including several indicators that cover all the aspects
(e.g., physical asset, staffing, operational, customer satisfaction, economical). The
most rational and with widespread applicability is considered to be the evaluation
system (Heider et al. [11] carried out by International Water Association (IWA).
IWA introduced a series of performance indicators to assess water supply systems
performance and to compare water utilities in a coherent framework. The difficulty
relays in collecting data required to determine the performance indicators.
The Dobrogea-Litoral water utility assesses the most relevant IWA performance
indicators for all the zonal and local water systems. As in Constanta the water distribution network has 650 km of pipeline, and half of it is more than 40 years old,
the water losses are considerable and moreover, the hidden leakage spots are difficult to locate. In Constanta water supply system, the on-going rehabilitation project
was expected to improve the total real water losses, by decreasing this indicator by
6% during 2014–2020. This estimation was based on sonar detection methods of
water leakages. As in 2016, the water utility started to use a novel technology based
on satellite imagery to detect leaks and non-revenue-water, real losses are expected
to be considerably reduced. The hidden leaks are detected in real time, bringing a
consistent decrease to background leaks and water loss. The estimation made for the
entire network shows potential savings of 695,000 m
3 of water per year [20].
Real water losses include two categories: unavoidable annual real losses and
potentially recoverable real losses. Heider et al. [11] identifies four methods to recover
part of the second category losses:
• Leakage control;
• Pressure management;
• Speed and quality of repairs;
• Pipeline and asset management.