Remote Sensing and GIS Application For Water Resources Assesment

Abstract Water loss from water distribution network is a major concern to water utilities. Water utilities around the world are becoming more focused on adopting a proactive approach to managing water loss. The amount of lost water can be significant, reaching levels as high as 50% of production. AbuDhabi Distribution Company, the main distributor of potable water in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is widely paying attention to water losses and investing in their resources to reduce it to the acceptable level as per Abu Dhabi Emirate Regulation Entity. Water balance analysis is the most widely used method for quantifying water losses. Guidelines and standard procedures for performing water balance analysis is mainly provided as a best practice document by the International Water Association (IWA). Experience shows that successful implementation of this best practice depends to a large extent on the ability to efficiently collect and integrate data from various sources. These data sources include metered and un-metered consumption records, water supply data, and water network asset inventory. It will also require  an understanding of various components contributing to the water loss. This paper illustrates the developing of a GIS-based method to facilitate identification of non-revenue water as part of water balance analysis procedure. The analysis integrates data from GIS asset, water interface points’ record, Sector Measuring points data loggers’ system and Consumption records. The paper also compares the non-revenue water percentage in different years for selected sectors and highlights the areas with high percentage comparing with others and against the international average non-revenue water percentage. The analysis was conducted for Abu Dhabi Island.