Proceedings of International Workshop on Drinking Water Loss Reduction: Developing Capacity for Applying Solutions.

UN Campus, Bonn 3-5 September 2008 Co-Editors: Reza Ardakanian and Jos Luis Martin-Bordes Mexico: Mexico City Sectoring Of Drinking Water Distribution Network for Mexico City By Mr Oscar Froyln Martnez Villalba, Manager of the North Sectionalizing Department, Mexico City Water System Introduction Mexico City is the largest city of Mexico, having more than 8.8 million inhabitants. It is also the capital of Mexico and has a special significance both from the economical and political aspects. Management of Mexico City Water Supply System is so complex due to its extent. This is the cause of problems like leakage, inequality and deficit in some areas of the city. Average consumption volume is over 32 m3/s, 45% of this volume is taken from external sources through Lerma and Cutzamala Systems which are situated up to 150 km from the city, therefore water has to be pumped to a height of more than 1000m, requiring 102 pumping stations, 17 tunnels and 8 km of canals, a very energy-expensive operation. Remainder volume is supplemented by ground water from internal wells. Last decade the costs of supply, transfer, treatment, distribution and monitoring of water had become too much, likewise it will be difficult to have new sources without high economical environmental and social costs. Therefore the supplied water should not be wasted, and the reduction of water losses is an important issue. Mexico City Water System, the water authority, estimates that leakage is around 37% of supplied flow rate. The current article describes the Sectoring project of the drinking water network, which has been implemented in Mexico City since 2001 in order to improve water leakage control and reducing water losses in the water supply system. Purpose of the project is the formation of blocks (sectors) within the network by the installation and close valves except at one or two inlet points for each sector. In 2001 Mexico City Water System started the design and planning stage of the Sectoring project based mainly on geographical/ topographical features and water consumption. At final of this stage Mexico City drinking water network was divided in 336 sectors. From 2004 to 2007 Mexico City Water System has made heavy investments for the construction of 172 sectors and this year is working in order to put into operation 36 of built sectors. Put into operation stage has been harder than initially considered, however it is estimated that when 336 sectors are operating a reduction of 3 m3/s in water supply system will be achieved. Mexico City Water Supply System Mexico City, capital and largest city of Mexico, in the south central part of the country, in the Distrito Federal (Federal District). Situated in the Valley of Mexico, a highland basin, at an elevation of about 2350 m, the city is bounded by mountains on three sides. The rapid growth of Mexico City has created several problems, including serious air pollution, an increasingly complex water supply, and the sinking, by as much as 6 m, of parts of the downtown area into the soft lake deposits that underlie much of the city, damaging buildings and disrupting some water and sewerage lines. Supplemental water is now obtained from distant sources, Lerma and Cutzamala Systems, outside the valley, and modern multistoried buildings are built on huge steel and concrete drums to prevent their sinking. Mexico City Water System, the water authority of Mexico City, supplies drinking water to 8.8 million people. Although the city has an area of 1.479 km2, its urban area of service is 632.42 km2. Average consumption volume is about 32 m3/s. Water is transported through 518 km of aqueducts and pipelines to 295 storage tanks, which have a joint capacity of 1,710 million m3. These tanks are used

to regulate and distribute water to users, through 1,040 km of main pipelines and more than 12,000 km of secondary pipelines. 285 pumping plants, which have a joint capacity of 25.5 m3/s, are used to provide water to people who live in high places. 14 wells in continuous operation are the main drinking water source of Mexico City. Pressure meter stations which are evenly distributed in drinking water distribution network allow knowing pressure data in real time. 98% of total population benefit from piped water, whereas 2% have no access to it and is served by means of cistern-carts. More than 25,000 visible leaks per year are repaired in secondary and service pipes. Finally water quality is constantly verified by means of permanent inspections and constant monitoring in water supply system. External water sources of Mexico City Main problems of Mexico City Water Supply System In order to supply clean and safe water without interruption, complying with the water quality standards established in the Mexican regulation, is necessary to solve the following problems: Some components Of the hydraulic system are so old and are located in instable soil and subsoil sink affects their performance, which increases complexity of operation system. Water extraction exceeds water infiltration to the Valley of Mexicos aquifer, the most important water supply source. As a consequence of urban zone expansion recharge area for aquifer has been reduced. There is irregular service water in the eastern zone of Mexico City because it is far from inlet points of external sources located in the western zone. Additional water volume is required from external sources to satisfy population consumption. 35 % of supplied flow rate is lost due to leaks in water network. Therefore it is necessary to improve programs of prevention for water supply leakage. Sectoring Project In 2000 the Mexico City Government through Mexico City Water System decided to start the Sectoring Project of the drinking water network in order to improve water leakage control and reducing water losses in the water supply system. Objective The purpose of the project is the formation of blocks (sectors) within the network by the installation and close valves except at one or two inlet points for each sector. It allows identifying and controlling, to some economic or rational level, losses in each sector. Sectors must be supplied in inlet points from main pipes and wells inside must be connected to main pipes. In inlet points are installed an electromagnetic flow meter and an electronic control pressure valve. If it is required, hydraulic control pressure valves are installed inside sectors. Advantages Once established, a functional sector can provide the information required to quickly identify unreported leaks and bursts as they occur. With proper metering, night flow patterns can be analyzed to reveal night time use, background, and active leakage. Bursts and flow rates can quickly be identified which allows for prioritization of leak detection personnel. During significant flow events, system performance can be observed providing necessary information for system enhancements. Reported bursts are difficult to ignore and typically trigger an immediate utility response, also:

 A system managed like this not only minimizes the area influenced by water suspension or rust colored water resulting from things like pipe breaks or leaks. Volumes recovered by reducing water losses can be used to solve water deficit zones. It also makes replacing pipes work efficient by facilitating sector-wise replacing pipes. Furthermore, because the inlet point into each block is distinct, simply by operating the inlet valve very precise water pressure and water flow control adjustments can be made, which can be in time of water shortage. Main pipes can operate with high pressure, and secondary pipes with low pressure, it allow transporting water to through the main pipes. Design Stage Before the sectoring project the drinking water network was divided just into five large zones to be operated. During the design stage of the sectoring project the network was divided in sectors based mainly on geographical/topographical features and water consumption. The established size of sectors was around 5,000 connections, or 25,000 inhabitants. However it could vary from sector to sector. Sector boundaries were defined by natural limits (rivers, ravines, parks, etc), railroads, freeways and political limits. Inlet points of each sector were identified. If it was required, hydraulic control pressure valves were considered inside sectors. It was also established that all sector cross connections should be closed or metered. All boundary valves for all sectors were identified, serviced and marked. Boundary valves are defined as closed valves on cross boundary connections. It was established that if boundary valves did not seal properly, they should be replaced. The exact position of inlet points and all boundary valves were captured on a network AutoCAD file. Design of sectors was assisted by EPANet. EPANet is software that models water distribution piping systems and was developed by EPAs Water Supply and Water Resources Division. It is a Windows program that performs extended-period simulation of the hydraulic and water quality behavior within pressurized pipe networks. The following input data are required for calculations on a given network: Network configure teen (nodes, sections, pumps, valves, tanks) Data for each node: elevation, flow rate, time variation of flow in the node (when time simulation of network operation is performed) Data for each tank: initial water level in the tank, maximum allowed level, tanks diameter. Data for each section: number of nodes at the ends, sections diameter, sections material, material roughness. During the simulation, EPANet application calculates the water flow rate per each section of the network and pressure in each node. Network model must be run until pressure and flow rated in proposed sector satisfy user needs. At final of this design stage Mexico City drinking water network was divided in 336 sectors.

Division in Sectors of Mexico City drinking water network Construction Stage In 2002 the first sector, Santa Lucia 1, was built and put into operation. It is located in the western zone of Mexico City. This is a complex zone because water supply is 150 meters above lower users. During the day, the water pressure was sufficient due to the high demand. At night, with reduced customer demand, the pressure would increase substantially. And, because the main supply lines were manually closed, they would often leak or break. This was considered a pilot sector. Network design required establishing various pressure zones due to topography. Pressure control to the required minimal level lowering losses to the minimum, was achieved installing pressure reducing valves. That way, water losses were reduced from 35% to 23 % of flow rate supplied. In 2004 start the process to build sectors in different zones of Mexico City. Heavy investments have been spent in the construction of 172 sectors, from 2004 to 2007. This year Mexico City Water System is working in order to put into operation 36 of built sectors. Put into operation stage has been harder than initially considered due to inaccuracies in network maps used during design stage, however it is estimated that when sectors are operating in 2013, it will be obtained 3 m3/s of reducing water losses in water supply system.