Water leakage control

Abstract

The demand for water necessitates the creation of a system which produces water from various sources and transports it to the various demand points. Having started in the early 1600's as a simple aqueduct supplying Valletta. from the Rabat springs, the distribution system has grown into an intricate network covering the whole of Malta. This expansion process is still going on to meet the constantly rising demand. The demand for water has increased at an alarming rate and is still increasing. This may be due to the industrialisation process which calls for the extensive use of water in factories, and to the ever increasing standard of living. The constant rise in demand is clearly indicated by the fact that the total production of water from the various sources has increased by about 60% over the ten years from 1971 to 1981. Water for the supply is obtained from three sources; groundwater, surface water and from water production processes such as desalination and reverse osmosis. Ideally, the water supply is to be satisfied by ground water and surface water but due to the high demand and the limitations of the island regarding the natural sources of water, recourse must be made to costly processes to satisfy the demand. Groundwater refers to the rainwater which percolates through the ground to be stored in the cracks, fissures and pores of water-bearing rock strata. This rock forms a natural reservoir or aquifer and Malta's main source of water is in fact ground water which amounts to about 80% of the water supply. There are, however, many factors which limit the amount and quality of water which can be stored underground. The main limitation arises from the fact that the average rainfall for Malta is only about 520mm., with a standard deviation of about 140mm. This clearly indicates the unfortunate lack of a definite rainfall pattern. In fact, the rainfall may vary from a high to a low figure over a year and even over a month. It is also possible to have a low figure for a consecutive number of years.