Using Promethee V to Select Alternatives so as to Rehabilitate Water Supply Network with Detected Leaks

• DOI: 10.1007/s11269-013-0393-1
• Publication Date: 2013-07-04T03:40:58Z
• Authors: M. E. Fontana; D. C. Morais
• Keywords: 11. Sustainability; 0207 environmental engineering; 02 engineering and technology; 6. Clean water; 12. Responsible consumption

The problem of the ageing infrastructure of urban water distribution networks and the loss of water associated with this has been one of the greatest infrastructure problems in urban areas. When a leakage is detected in the water supply network, problems arise when seeking to rehabilitate the network. Therefore, the decision problem is to choose which components to add or to improve and to maximize the benefits, which will result from the changes implemented. In addition, it is important to minimize costs, since water supply companies have limited budgets. Moreover, there are often several leakage points in the same water supply network and in the same period of analysis. Therefore, this paper puts forward a model for rehabilitating the greatest number of leakage points in a water network; it respects the constraints which a water company may have. Promethee V is used to assist the decision maker (DM) in selecting a set of feasible alternatives for rehabilitating the network from the criteria and the constraints set by the DM on the problem. For demonstration purposes, the proposed model was tested in a simulated network.