This paper investigates the robustness of one innovative model-based method for leak detection, namely the Dual Model. We evaluate the algorithm’s performance under various leakage scenarios in the L-Town network, despite uncertainties and model mismatches in (i) base demand, (ii) pipe roughness, (iii) the number of sensors, and (iv) network topology. Our investigation results indicate that the Dual Model is highly sensitive to discrepancies in the first three parameters. However, the impact can be mitigated through sensor-specific calibration, such as adjusting sensor elevations. Moreover, the Dual Model has demonstrated robustness to minor topology mismatches, like those introduced by closed valves.

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A detailed characterization of residential water consumption is essential for ensuring urban water systems' capability to cope with changing water resources availability and water demands induced by growing population, urbanization, and climate change. Several studies have been conducted in the last decades to investigate the characteristics of residential water consumption with data at a sufficiently fine temporal resolution for grasping individual end uses of water. In this paper, we systematically review 114 studies to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art research about water consumption at the end-use level. Specifically, we contribute with: (1) an in-depth discussion of the most relevant findings of each study, highlighting which water end-use characteristics were so far prioritized for investigation in different case studies and water demand modelling and management studies from around the world; and (2) a multi-level analysis to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the most common results available in the literature, i.e. daily per capita end-use water consumption, end-use parameter average values and statistical distributions, end-use daily profiles, end-use determinants, and considerations about efficiency and diffusion of water-saving end uses. Our findings can support water utilities, consumers, and researchers (1) in understanding which key aspects of water end uses were primarily investigated in the last decades; and (2) in exploring their main features considering different geographical, cultural, and socio-economic regions of the world.

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The hydraulic verification of combined sewer systems as well as the assessment of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) can be conducted using a hydrodynamic model. Unfortunately, long-term simulations with hydrodynamic models for the assessment of CSOs can cause unacceptably long computation times. Using only a series of storm events instead of a precipitation continuum can reduce this time and enables parallel simulation of single storm events. We introduce a method to select this series of storm events. The method’s parameters have been optimized to replicate the overflow volume of the continuous simulation and to minimize the overall computation time. This optimization revealed a generally applicable parameter set that results in series of storm events that are shorter than the precipitation continuum by 86.2–95.2% for the investigated cases. Additionally, the deviation of overflow volume between continuous simulation and series simulation ranges between only 0.1% and 4.1%.@en