Italian Utility Reduces Water Loss by 30%

To Reduce Water Losses in One of Its Networks, Italian Utility Padania Acque Gestione Installed the Grundfos Demand Driven Distribution Controller to Monitor and Adjust Pressure

After installing the Grundfos Demand Driven Distribution, Padania Acque Gestione achieved a 30% reduction in water losses and 17% increase in energy savings.

The company had asked Grundfos for help with controlling the overall pressure on its grid. In particular, some of the pipes in Ripalta Guerina - one of the nearby towns - were smaller than the others in the network. This unbalance made it difficult to control the overall pressure for the optimum flow during both low and high demand times of day. As a result, the pressure surges around peak demand times caused pipe leaks and wasted energy within the network. Something had to change.

Sergio Vicari and technician Mauro Busseti monitor pressure data inside the Montodine pumping station. Following extensive consultation, Grundfos engineers recommended Demand Driven Distribution to solve the pressure problem.

Demand Driven Distribution works with the help of a pressure transducer, known as a XiLog unit, at the end of the water line in Ripalta Guerina. The unit monitors water pressure and sends the information back to the controller at the pumping station in Montodine, ensuring optimum pressure in real time as it is needed.

After three months of testing, Padania Acque Gestione has reduced overall pressure in the system without any limitation of service to users. The overall efficiency of the system has increased, with annual savings projected to be about 47,000kWh, or 17% lower. Grundfos also estimates 30% reductions in the grid's annual water loss.

Source: The Guardian

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Taxonomy

• Technology
• Water Utility
• Governance & Planning