Description
The project is based on the Management Plan for the water resources of Crete, which focuses on the needs for sustainable water management, through the long term protection of water resources and strengthening the protection of the water environment through monitoring for water pollutants and effectively blocking their dispersion in the water network. Furthermore, the project is consistent with the goals of EEA 2009-2014, as it introduces a multicriteria methodology. The main objective is the improvement of management of inland water resources, through a smart, decision making environment, which will take into account every aspect of the involved systems. A direct consequence of the realization of such a holistic management scheme will be to ensure water quality, sustain water demand, minimize water resources losses, reduce operating costs and ultimately reduce the corresponding cost of water both for large consumers and for regular end users. The main expectation is to increase knowledge and awareness of the protection and management of water bodies suffering from environmental problems. It will create an integrated, smart management system of inland water resources, based on the detailed geographical and technical topology of the network. By using relevant data (input-output amounts, water quality, energy requirements), it will provide the network administrator with the ability to operate the network on an optimal and sustainable resources basis. The viability and the potential advantages of the proposed management scheme will be validated by analytical computer simulation of an existing hydro-irrigation network. The results aim at policy makers (in terms of management of water resources), at local water managers and distributors and at consumers. A significant number of citizens are expected to obtain direct benefits from the implementation of the project which will result in optimal and sustainable management of water resources and reduced cost.
Summary of project results
Water is one of the most important resources for sustaining life on the planet. Use of water is increasing as a result of the increase in the population, but available water is decreasing because of the climate change and pollution. Therefore it is imperative to develop practices that will result in the sustainable use of water resources both for domestic use and irrigation purposes. One of the ways towards this goal is the use of “smart” technologies. These technologies integrate operation software, monitoring network, control elements and decision support systems to form a “smart” water network. This network achieves sustainability through minimisation of leakages by regulating pressures and by direct leak detection methods while minimising energy consumption through intelligent control of the pumping stations. Furthermore, the system monitors quality and quantity of water supply and distributes in a “fair” way available water resources. Our project aimed at designing and testing, through advanced simulation, such a design. The final result was verified on a simulated, real network in the area of Hania, Crete, Greece, one of the most water consuming areas of Greece, because of high tourism and agriculture development. The project achieved its objective to a full extent. Acceptance from local water operation authorities was huge, and the large interest spurred will result in the implementation of pilot plants. We believe that the sustainability goal will be achieved as long as the system is financed and adopted. The main output is a system that includes the developed monitoring and control software, a network of sensors and their associated communication structure and appropriate devices to control the network (valves, inverters etc.). Furthermore part of the software can be used as a design tool, since it models the entire hydraulic network on a GIS infrastructure. The main beneficiary of the project (OAK S.A.) is now equipped with a strategy to improve its existing network in terms of sustainability. Through the simulation tool he can decide to implement actions as funds become available and thus achieve a gradual evolution to a better water network facility. Exhaustive simulations showed an expected energy consumption reduction of the order of 15% and an expected leakage reduction of the order of 30%.
Summary of bilateral results