The objective of the project is to optimize the utilization of available water resources by reducing leakages, ensuring adequacy and quality of drinking water in the water supply infrastructure of the closed zone in the Paramythia city of the Municipality of Souli, which experiences water deficit. It aims to achieve rational operation, ensure water quality, protect the environment, and promote resource efficiency.
The Municipality of Souli, through the implementation of the project, aims to:
- Provide uninterrupted water supply that meets the required quality specifications through the closed zone of the distribution network.
- Ensure the necessary quantities of water to supply all households in the responsible area of the closed zone.
- Drastically reduce operational expenses through more efficient management of the network and equipment.
- Ensure the required quality control of the produced and consumed water, which is not currently carried out on a continuous basis.
- Serve the needs of consumers promptly and effectively.
- Minimize the amount of water leakage and wastage, as the targeted area experiences a significant percentage of leaks and lacks quality control.
- Reduce the unnecessary energy consumption associated with the current operation of the network, boreholes, booster stations, and tanks.
- Adopt a fair pricing policy based on real data.
- Achieve the above objectives in the most cost-effective manner without burdening consumers, as the project includes equipment costs that will not be passed on to network users (end consumers).
With the contribution of the partners, it will gain further advantage in the timely detection of leaks and in supporting decision-making.
On its part, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will undertake Subproject 2, where it will develop and customize the hydraulic modeling and simulation of the digital twin of the closed zone of the water supply network in the Paramythia area of the Municipality of Souli.
The digital twin and the simulation scenarios that will be implemented and executed during the project will receive real-time data from the installed sensors, while the hydraulic modeling and simulation system will interact with the decision support system. This will allow for the utilization of simulation scenarios and/or the execution of new simulations if deemed necessary, and reports will be sent to the decision support system for the optimal management of the water supply network parameters.
The data from the virtual sensors, along with real-time data from the physical sensors installed at the control stations of the closed zone of the water supply network in the Municipality of Souli, will be utilized by the Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS will interoperate with the hydraulic modeling and simulation system for the optimal management of water supply network parameters.
Furthermore, the University of Western Macedonia will undertake Subproject 4, where they will develop a DSS application for managing water supply network parameters.
The goal of the Decision Support System (DSS) is to promptly and automatically detect and respond to potential leakage events or degradation of water quality characteristics. This will enable the optimal management of the water supply network parameters within the closed control zone of the Municipality.
Desired outcomes of the Decision Support System:
- Reducing leaks and conserving water resources
- Ensuring an adequate supply of and suitable quality of drinking water in the water distribution network.
The Decision Support System (DSS) will integrate, correlate, and analyze real-time data from installed local monitoring and control stations. It will leverage data derived from the use of virtual sensors in the water distribution network. The DSS will utilize existing control scenarios of the hydraulic simulation model of the network and may interact with hydraulic simulation software, triggering a new hydraulic simulation if deemed necessary based on calculations/estimations of relevant indicators. Its ultimate goal is to detect leaks and/or incidents of degradation in the quality characteristics of drinking water.
In the event of detecting incidents (leaks and/or degradation of drinking water quality), the DSS will respond immediately and automatically by sending appropriate control messages or alarms to initiate suitable measures within defined groups. It may also send remote commands to elements of the water distribution network, aiming for optimal management of network parameters (pressure reduction, valve closure, etc.).
Finally, the last sub-project aims to promote bilateral relations between Greece and the Donor Country, Norway, through networking, exchange of experiences, and best practices among the partners in Greece (Municipality of Souli, University of Western Macedonia, and University of Athens) and potentially additional water supply companies/municipalities in Greece and stakeholders from the donor countries (Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Oslo Water Utility).
Expected outcomes from the implementation of this action include the upgrading of the existing infrastructure of the Municipality of Souli, the convergence of the water balance in the closed zone of the Paramythia area within the Municipality of Souli, the control and reduction of leaks, and the improvement of water adequacy and quality. Additionally, the promotion of bilateral relations between Norway and Greece is anticipated.
The direct beneficiaries of this action are the residents and tourists in the Paramythia area of the Municipality of Souli (specifically, 3,032 residents). Potentially, the entire population of the Municipality of Souli, comprising 10,185 residents (permanent population according to the 2011 census), could benefit from these actions.
Sub-Project 1: Supply, installation, and commissioning of three (3) local monitoring and control stations for quantitative and qualitative parameters (flow, pressure, residual chlorine, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, pH).
Within the framework of the project, the necessary local monitoring and control stations for quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the network will be procured, installed, and commissioned. Specifically, the following parameters will be monitored:
- Flow
- Pressure
- Residual chlorine
- Turbidity
- Conductivity
- Temperature
- pH
The local stations will be fully energy autonomous using photovoltaic panels and batteries. They will perform measurements at least hourly and record and transmit data to a central server of the Municipality every four hours. The server will also host the developed Decision Support System (DSS) software.
Furthermore, for pressure control, the procurement and installation of a Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) will take place. The PRV, equipped with telemetry recording or a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), will control the pressure within the closed zone to prevent additional leaks.
Additionally, as part of this action, the necessary software package for water network simulation will be procured. This software will facilitate the integration of all stages of modeling, including data preparation for input into the model, subsequent data analysis, and presentation of simulation engine results. After developing the hydraulic model of the closed zone, the software will utilize data from the local monitoring and control stations to detect potential hidden leaks and deterioration in water quality. It will also communicate and interact with the Decision Support System (DSS) for monitoring, event detection (leaks or water quality degradation), and automated management of water network parameters.
Finally, support from the contractor will be provided to the municipality for monitoring the progress of the project.
Work Package WP1: Procurement, Installation, and Commissioning of Three (3) Local Monitoring and Control Stations for Quantitative and Qualitative Parameters
Deliverable: 1.1. Procurement, Installation, and Commissioning of Three (3) Local Monitoring and Control Stations for Quantitative and Qualitative Parameters.
Sub-Project 2: Development and Customization of Hydraulic Modeling and Simulation of the Digital Twin of the Closed Zone of the Water Supply Network in the Paramythia City of the Municipality of Souli.
As part of Subproject 2, the Laboratory of Climatology and Atmospheric Environment of the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) will be called upon to develop and parameterize the hydraulic modeling and simulation of the digital twin of the closed zone of the water supply network in the Paramythia City of the Municipality of Souli.
The digital twin and simulation scenarios to be implemented and executed during the project will receive real-time data from the installed sensors. The hydraulic modeling and simulation system will interact with the decision-making system, allowing for the utilization of simulation scenarios and the execution of new simulations when deemed necessary. Reports will be sent to the decision support system for the optimal management of the water supply network parameters.
The offered application should facilitate the completion of all stages of modeling, including data preparation for input into the model (based on the US-EPA SWMM5 tool), subsequent data analysis, and presentation of results from the simulation engines. It should receive data from the zone in near real-time and, after optimization, simulate consumption in the hydraulic-sealed District Metered Area (DMA).
The application of water network simulation should provide the following simulations:
- Steady-state simulations
- Extended period simulations
- Water quality simulations in extended periods
The Water Network Simulation application aims to:
- Evaluate alternative consumption scenarios.
- Optimize network utilization during high-demand periods.
- Conserve water resources and energy.
- Create network monitoring zones for consumption control.
The model should have at least the following features:
- Dynamic simulation capabilities.
- Network data management for water collection and distribution systems.
- Effective time-series data management and strong presentation capabilities.
Essential functionalities of the Dynamic Simulation System include:
- Generation and printing of thematic maps.
- Presentation of additional views of different entities, such as displaying consumption as a thematic representation while graphically presenting the water meter levels without thematic representation.
- Presentation of characteristics and systems in label form.
The objective of the application is to receive data from the hydraulic model simulation and solve the modeling process. It will generate useful reports using neural networks to assess the current state of leaks and water quality. The purpose is to support the municipality in decision-making processes aimed at reducing leaks in the control zone and avoiding water quality degradation.
Work Package WP2: Development and parameterization of hydraulic modeling and simulation of a digital twin for the closed zone of the water supply network in the Paramythia area of the Municipality of Souli.
Deliverables:
2.1. Development of hydraulic modeling of the water supply network of the Municipality of Souli.
2.2. Parameterization of hydraulic modeling of the water supply network of the Municipality of Souli.
2.3. Simulation of hydraulic modeling and operational scenarios.
2.4. Presentation of hydraulic modeling and user training.
Subproject 3: Development and parameterization of virtual sensors for managing/monitoring hidden leaks in the water supply network and additional quality parameters.
Within subproject 3, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences will be called upon to develop virtual sensors for the management and monitoring of hidden leaks and quality parameters in the closed control zone of the Municipality’s water supply network. The data from the virtual sensors, along with real-time data from physical sensors installed at the control stations of the Municipality of Souli’s closed zone, will be utilized by the Decision Support System (DSS), which will interoperate with the hydraulic modeling and simulation system for optimal management of water supply network parameters.
Monitoring leaks and water quality is a complex process that requires advanced technology with reliable sensors from various manufacturers. There are various types of sensors and IoT systems for monitoring leaks and water quality with varying degrees of accuracy, level, and scale. Additionally, there are cost-effective and reliable sensors for measuring simple parameters such as flow rate, pH, temperature, conductivity, and pressure, while more precise sensors are available for specialized measurements such as residual chlorine, turbidity, TOC, DOC, NO3, UV254, dissolved oxygen, and free chlorine. However, for some of these parameters, the measurement method differs and may not be suitable for field use but rather for laboratory settings. Nevertheless, there are no reliable sensors for certain fundamental water quality parameters such as residual aluminum or other microbiological factors, which are exclusively measured in the laboratory.
Soft sensors/surrogate sensors
Within this sub-project, the objective is to develop virtual sensors for parameters that cannot be directly measured in the field.
Virtual sensors utilize physical and statistical relationships to estimate challenging/precise parameters through cheaper physical measurements. By leveraging large historical databases and employing advanced statistical methods, reliable algorithms can be developed to estimate parameters that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to measure accurately. Virtual sensors can also replace some of the existing sensors if their results can be reliably estimated using other parameters.
The aim of this project is to minimize the need for physical sensors so that water quality can be predicted at more sampling points with the same cost. The goal is to develop virtual sensors for parameters such as Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Nitrate (NO3), and Free Chlorine. The difference between multi-parameter sensors and virtual sensors is that pre-calibrated algorithms are used in the former, while virtual sensors calibrate the algorithms for local conditions and recalibrate them with increasing operational data. As a result, accuracy improves, and it can also provide estimations for parameters that cannot be measured using physical sensors.
The contribution of virtual sensors to leak detection.
Knowledge about leakage detection using physical IoT sensors has rapidly developed in the last decade, and several research teams are developing innovative ideas. However, the advantage of virtual sensors lies in their ability to detect hidden relationships between physical sensors and leaks by analyzing historical data. These data generated during the project will be analyzed to explore the possibilities of leak detection and dynamic leaks, which could be useful for decision-making, resource planning, and more.
Work Package WP3: Development and Parameterization of Virtual Sensors for Management/Monitoring of Hidden Water Network Leaks and Additional Quality Parameters.
Deliverables:
3.1. Use of IoT for Leak Management, Best Practices, and Technologies.
3.2. Development, Calibration of Virtual Sensors, and Performance Evaluation.
3.3. Configuration of Lifelong Learning Course Structure and Suitable Training Material for Staff Education.
Subproject 4: Design and Development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for Water Network Parameter Management.
As part of Action 4, the Laboratory of Networks and Advanced Services at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Western Macedonia will be called upon to design and implement a Decision Support System (DSS) for the accurate and automated management of water network parameters, specifically the closed control zone of the Municipality.
The goal of the DSS is to detect and respond promptly and automatically to potential leakage events or degradation of water quality characteristics for optimal management of the water network parameters within the closed control zone of the Municipality.
Expected outcomes of the Decision Support System:
• Reduction of leaks and conservation of water resources.
• Ensuring adequacy and appropriate quality of drinking water in the water distribution network.
The Decision Support System (DSS) will integrate, correlate, and analyze real-time data from installed local monitoring and control stations. It will leverage data from virtual sensors in the water network and utilize existing control scenarios from the network simulation model. It may also interact with hydraulic simulation software to perform new simulations if deemed necessary based on calculations/estimations of relevant indicators. The ultimate goal is to detect leaks and/or degradation events in water quality characteristics and respond immediately and automatically.
In the event of detecting such events, the DSS will promptly respond by sending appropriate control messages or alarms to take necessary measures within specified groups. It may also send remote commands to elements of the water network with the aim of optimal parameter management (e.g., pressure reduction, valve closure, etc.).
Work Package WP4: Design of Decision Support System (DSS) for optimal management of water network parameters.
Deliverables:
4.1. Design of Decision Support System (DSS) for optimal management of water network parameters.
4.2. Development of Decision Support System (DSS).
4.3. Performance Evaluation of the Decision Support System (DSS) and Presentation to the Municipality of Souli.
Subproject 5: Communication Plan of the Action
As part of the project, a corresponding Communication Plan of the Action should be implemented, which will include:
- Posting a temporary large-sized sign at the installation points of the equipment of Subproject 1 in a visible location for the public.
- Placing a permanent commemorative plaque at a location easily visible to the public, within three months of the completion of the Action.
- Displaying the emblem of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, along with a reference to the supporting EEA Financial Mechanism, in all information and communication actions implemented.
- Publishing information about the Action on the Municipality’s website, including a brief description, objectives, and results, highlighting the financial support from the EEA Financial Mechanism.
- Putting up a poster with information about the Action.
- Creating a separate website for the proposed Action, which will include project details such as a brief description, progress, objectives, and results, in both Greek and English. The website will be regularly updated and will emphasize the financial support from the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
- Implementing three publicity actions for the Action, with a choice of the following options:
- Conference with relevant stakeholders for the launch of the Action.
- Conference with relevant stakeholders for the completion of the Action and presentation of its results.
- Press releases for the implementation of the subprojects.
- Participation in scientific conferences for the dissemination of results.
- Media awareness activities.
Work Package WP5: Communication Plan of the Action.
Deliverable:
5.1. Implementation of the Communication Plan.
Subproject 6: Networking, Experience Sharing, and Best Practices Exchange among Partners in Greece (Municipality of Souli, University of Western Macedonia & University of Athens) and Donor Countries (Norwegian University & Oslo Water Utility)
The aim of this subproject is to promote bilateral relations between Greece and the donor country Norway through networking, experience sharing, and best practices in water network management among partners in Greece (Municipality of Souli, University of Athens, and University of Western Macedonia) and potentially additional Water Utilities in Greece, as well as water management entities and organizations from the donor countries (Norwegian University NMBU & Oslo Water Utility). Within the framework of this subproject, visits will be organized to the main stakeholders (Municipality of Souli) and the Norwegian University and Oslo Water Utility (with which the Norwegian University NMBU has an official cooperation agreement), where informative seminars will be held for the exchange of best practices.
Work Package WP6: Networking among stakeholders.
Deliverable:
6.1 Visits for bilateral relations.