Research: Quantitative Assessment of Water-Distribution Network Resilience to Contamina...

Research question: How do contamination events and sudden demand shocks impact the operational resilience of urban water-distribution networks, and what mitigation strategies can enhance their robustness?

Background & Motivation: Urban water-distribution networks are critical infrastructures that must reliably deliver safe water even amidst various disruptions. Recent incidents have highlighted vulnerabilities to both contamination events (e.g., accidental chemical spills, intentional sabotage) and rapid changes in water demand (e.g., firefighting, extreme weather).

Research Gap / Question: While reliability analysis of water networks is well established, fewer studies have systematically quantified the resilience of these systems under simultaneous contamination and demand shocks, especially using high-fidelity network models and real-world operational data.

Approach & Expected Contribution: This project will employ hydraulic simulation tools (e.g., EPANET) to model representative urban water networks under various contamination and demand shock scenarios. Metrics of resilience—such as time to recovery, population exposed, and service level—will be computed and compared across different mitigation strategies (e.g., isolation valves, booster chlorination, demand management). The research will generate recommendations for improving network design and operational policies.

Why It Matters: Enhancing the resilience of water-distribution networks is vital for public health and urban sustainability. This research will provide actionable insights for utilities, engineers, and policymakers, enabling more robust planning for future disruptions.