Impact of Pipe Cover on Drinking Water Temperature

Abstract

Drinking water temperature is an essential parameter for water quality related to the physical, chemical and biological processes in water. However, in many countries, the drinking water temperature has not been taken seriously and was excluded from water quality standards. For example, in the Netherlands, the temperature of drinking water should not exceed 25℃ at customers’ taps, which is an advanced guide for ensuring water safety. Moreover, with the tendency of global warming, the drinking water temperature in the distribution system will become higher and higher without sufficient attention and practical solutions. Therefore, understanding the mechanism and cause of water temperature fluctuation is instrumental in finding appropriate measures to cope with it and improve the drinking water quality.

This thesis provides relatively comprehensive and overall ideas to research drinking water temperature. The objective of this thesis consists of three parts: i) Determining impact factors on water temperature; ii) Simulating water temperature in the distribution system; iii) Choosing measures to control water temperature. Firstly, data measurement and analytical methods were applied to determine impact factors on water temperature, and the influence level of each impact factor had been identified. Subsequently, implementing these impact factors to calibrate the water temperature simulation model to verify the model’s feasibility. Finally, the performance on reducing water temperature of three measures, porous asphalt, pervious interlocking concrete pavement, and grass cover, were compared to determine the most effective measure from the standpoint of pipe cover. The results show as following: i) Four impact factors are summarized as surface cover material, district heating pipe, shade effect and groundwater level based on the collected data; ii) It is feasible to simulate the water temperature in the water distribution system. For the model of city Almere, around 88% of simulation values had a difference smaller than 1℃ compared with measurement data; iii) Grass cover has a better performance than the porous asphalt and pervious interlocking cement pavement. Additionally, this thesis discusses limitations during the measurement and simulation process and more relative interventions to reduce water temperature.

In summary, this thesis further summarizes the various impact factors that affect the drinking water temperature and the measure to control drinking water temperature has launched from the point of pipe cover compared with previous references. These results provide guiding advice on the engineering projects of constructing and renovating drinking water distribution systems considering water temperature.