In the design of Water Distribution Networks (WDNs), not only the hydraulic restrictions, related to pressures and flow rates, but also the water quality restrictions, mainly related to the decay of residual chlorine and the growth of trihalomethanes (THMs), must be complied with. In the technical literature there are many methodologies that lead to the optimized minimum cost design of WDNs, finding the diameter values of each pipe given a cost equation that leads to an overall minimum cost, respecting all design constraints. In the research subject of this abstract, it was found that the optimized WDNs correspond to those with the minimum total volume of water inside them, while their pipes have the smallest total internal surface of the system and the minimum age of the water. Given the forms of the different equations, both first and second order, that simulate the decay and growth of substances in the WDNs, it was found that the minimum cost networks are also those that maintain the maximum values of residual chlorine, allowing the reduction of the disinfectant concentration at the outlet of the WTP or at the rechlorination stations. Of course, this leads to a lower concentration of THMs throughout the network. It was found that these results were similar for the different quality equations reported in the literature.
.jpg "Laura González, MSc (she/her/hers) photo")