Unit III
SUPPLYING OF POTABLE WATER
Distribution Systems
•Distribution system is a network of pipelines that distribute water to the
consumers. They are designed to adequately satisfy the water requirement for a
combination of
· Domestic
· Commercial
· Industrial
· Fire fighting purposes
Distribution Systems
• The distribution system consists of pipes of various sizes, valves, meters, pumps,
distribution reservoirs, hydrants, stand posts etc,.
• The pipe lines carry the water to each and every street, road. Valves control the
flow of water through the pipes.
• Meters are provided to measure the quantity of water consumed by individual as
well as by the town.
Distribution Systems
• Depending upon the methods of distribution, the distribution systems
are classified as follows
• Gravity system
• Pumping system
• Combined gravity and pumping system
Requirements of a good distribution system:
• It should convey the treated water up to the consumers with the same
degree of purity.
• The water should reach to every consumer with the required pressure.
• The distribution system should be economical and easy to maintain and
operate.
• It should be able to transport sufficient quantity of water during
emergency such as fire fighting.
Requirements of a good distribution system:
• During repair work, it should not cause obstruction to the traffic.
• It should be safe against any future pollution.
• It should be water tight and the water losses due to leakage should be minimum as
far as possible.
Layouts of distribution systems:
Generally in practice there are four systems of distribution which are used.
Depending upon their layout and direction of supply, they are classified as follows:
• Dead end or Tree system
• Grid iron system
• Circular or ring system
• Radial system
Dead end or Tree system:
• It is the system in which each street or
block is supplied separately from the
main. So there is end of system at
each end of the block.
Dead end system advantages
• This type of system is good for a city which has been developed haphazardly.
• As it required less number of valves so it is economical.
• This type of system is easy to construct.
Dead end system disadvantages
• This system is less desirable due to following reasons
• Large areas are cut off during repairing.
• When tap is not opened for a long time, bacterial growth may take place.
• The dead ends accumulate settled sediments which reach the consumer.
Grid iron system
• In grid iron system, the whole distribution
system is interconnected. So the water
remains in circulation and there is no
contamination of water. Because water
does not stand still at any point, it is in
continuous circulation.
Grid iron system advantages
• In this system, as the whole distribution system is interconnected, water can reach
from more than one direction.
• It provides better quality of water.
• During its repairing lesser area is cut off.
Circular or ring system
• Circular or ring system can be adopted in
well planned locality of cities.
• Each locality is divided into square or
circular blocks and water mains are laid all
around four sides or round the circle.
• This is the best of other systems but it
requires many more valves and pipes.
• Design is easy.
Radial system
• Not opted in India because for this system
the roads should be laid out radially from
a centre.
• It is reverse of ring system water flows
towards outer periphery from one point.
• The entire district is divided into various
zones and one reservoir is provided for
each one.
Methods of supplying water:
The water can be supplied to the consumers by the following two systems
• Continuous system: This is the best system and the water is supplied for all the
twenty four hours.
1. This system is possible when there is adequate quantity of water for supply.
2. In this system ample water is always available for the fire fighting and due to
continuous circulation water always remains fresh.
Methods of supplying water:
• Intermittent system: If plenty of water is not available, the supply of water is
divided into zones and each zone is supplied with water for fixed hours in a day.
1. As the water is supplied after intervals, it is called intermittent system.
2. In spite of number of disadvantages, this system is usually adopted in almost all
of cities and towns of India.