In this lecture, prof. Van Dijk has given an overview of the design capacity planning for drinking water distribution infrastructure : from the fluctuations at the household level (“the tap”) back to the capacity of the water treatment plant (“the source”).
The typical consumption patterns are discussed: daily, weekly and yearly fluctuations. These fluctuations should be levelled by the storage capacity within water reservoirs and by the maximum capacity of distribution pumps and the maximum capacity of the treatment plants.
Furthermore the pressure within a distribution system is discussed, depending on water towers, (booster) pumps and water mains. This is based on the hydraulic losses in mains and the hydraulic characteristics of pumps.
Thereafter the differences between brached and looped distribution systems are explained.
At the end of the lecture some recommendations for the examination are given.