About this Research Topic
Effects of climate change, demographic growth, and urbanization are common causes of water stress in large areas of the world. In this era of relevant socio-economic and environmental issues, effective management and efficient planning of WDSs are of great importance to face the challenges posed by the increasingly limited availability of water resources. On the one hand, the understanding of where, when, and how water is being used is essential to ensure an adequate spatio-temporal allocation of water resources. On the other hand, key-aspects to ensure water resources to be preserved are the development of new approaches aimed at an efficient water supply and the limitation of water wastage and the definition of supportive strategies to identify the most feasible technologies or methods applicable to increase the WDS’s performance.
Strategies for effective planning and management of drinking water distribution systems (WDSs) are nowadays essential to ensure adequate water supply to the current population and future generations. However, the adoption of these strategies cannot prescind from a detailed knowledge of water consumption – which is the driving-force of water distribution systems – and from the understanding of which technological solutions are more feasibly applicable to increase the performance of each system in the face of its characteristics and the spatial level of detail considered. The goal of this Research Topic is to give an insight into new approaches aimed at increasing water distribution system performance, resilience, and sustainability, from the urban to the end-use scale in different contexts worldwide. In particular, the Research Topic collects and presents methods and technologies with the main scope to guarantee equitable supply in WDSs, limit the water-energy footprint, maximize water savings, and ensure a conscious and aware attitude towards water use.
The main topics addressed by this Research Topic are related (but not limited to) the themes listed below. Please note that both novel contributions and review papers providing an insight into the state-of-the-art in the below-mentioned research fields are welcome.
• Smart-metering technology: potential, application, and novel perspectives in the field of water distribution network management.
• Water consumption analysis, characterization, and modelling, with specific reference to those categories of water consumers the characteristics of which have been explored in a limited manner to date.
• Innovative approaches and solutions for the optimization of water distribution system design, operation, and maintenance
• Intermittent networks: approaches, strategies, and solutions to move towards a continuous and equitable water supply.
• Technical solutions for water savings and leakage reductions from the urban to the household scale.
• Users’ perception of water use and the water-supply service: how to increase consumers’ active role and attitude towards water conservation.
Strategies for effective planning and management of drinking water distribution systems (WDSs) are nowadays essential to ensure adequate water supply to the current population and future generations. However, the adoption of these strategies cannot prescind from a detailed knowledge of water consumption – which is the driving-force of water distribution systems – and from the understanding of which technological solutions are more feasibly applicable to increase the performance of each system in the face of its characteristics and the spatial level of detail considered. The goal of this Research Topic is to give an insight into new approaches aimed at increasing water distribution system performance, resilience, and sustainability, from the urban to the end-use scale in different contexts worldwide. In particular, the Research Topic collects and presents methods and technologies with the main scope to guarantee equitable supply in WDSs, limit the water-energy footprint, maximize water savings, and ensure a conscious and aware attitude towards water use.
The main topics addressed by this Research Topic are related (but not limited to) the themes listed below. Please note that both novel contributions and review papers providing an insight into the state-of-the-art in the below-mentioned research fields are welcome.
• Smart-metering technology: potential, application, and novel perspectives in the field of water distribution network management.
• Water consumption analysis, characterization, and modelling, with specific reference to those categories of water consumers the characteristics of which have been explored in a limited manner to date.
• Innovative approaches and solutions for the optimization of water distribution system design, operation, and maintenance
• Intermittent networks: approaches, strategies, and solutions to move towards a continuous and equitable water supply.
• Technical solutions for water savings and leakage reductions from the urban to the household scale.
• Users’ perception of water use and the water-supply service: how to increase consumers’ active role and attitude towards water conservation.
Keywords: Water distribution systems, Water consumption, Smart metering, Water systems resiliency and reliability, Intermittent supply systems, Network planning and management
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
