MONSENHOR EXPEDITO’S PIPELINE SYSTEM: LOSSES, EXPANSION AND INTEGRATION
Pipeline System. Integration. Economic Pipe Dimensioning. Optimization. Energy Efficiency. Cost Reduction. Water Loss Management.
In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, about 60% of the population has as its source of drinking water supply system, a water source located beyond its territorial limits, and are served by the main pipeline systems. As a result of the long distances traveled by the water, witch still needs to overcome elevation gains, the costs of electric energy consumed by the elevator stations are significantly, referring to the operating costs of the systems. Water loss management combined with energy efficiency practices, together with continuous search for infrastructure projects with better efficiency, tend to reduce operating costs and ensure the sustainability of the systems. In this sense, the present study aims to diagnose the current water loss situation (first semester of 2018) of Monsenhor Expedito’s pipeline system, responsible for water supply in 30 inner state cities, evaluate methods of reduction focusing on real losses, calculate the energy cost, and finally, evaluate alternatives of conception for its expansion, integrating to Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves’s water dam. The integration of systems allows scenarios of distribution with greater water security, while its infrastructure renovation would provide minimal operating costs.