GIS based Urban Water Distribution Network Analysis: A Case Study in Kochi, India

Water distribution systems are one of the critical infrastructures of urban communities. Uneven water distribution can cause intermittent and inadequate water supply to the urban population. Therefore, it is imperative to study the uneven water distribution for the water demand of the urban community (SDG6). In this work, a GIS-based model is developed to characterize the demand-supply variations of an Urban community. As the case study, this paper presents the modeling and digitization of a real-world water distribution network in Kochi, India. QGIS is the network modeling platform with the QGISRed plugin, which relays on EPANET. A geo-referenced water distribution network map is used to model the network accurately. The base demand for each junction has been identified using GIS algorithms for the modeled real water network. Results show that the simulator has been able to elicit the characteristic of the water network and accurately quantify the parameter metrics as per the real-world scenario. The 24-hour extended EPANET simulation identifies the critical areas of Edakochi, where the water distribution network has very low or negative pressure. The paper also proposes three strategies for rectifying uneven water distribution, such as increasing the input volume of water supply, an additional water connection from another water resource, and introducing an overhead tank in the study area. Results show that all these three methods can enhance the water supply and mitigate the low-pressure points in the modeled water network