Case Study

Water Pressure Management

Taking pressure off Kilkenny City’s water network

Water Pressure Management

Kilkenny City is a medieval town in southeast Ireland and is situated in the Nore Valley on both banks of the River Nore. Kilkenny is a tourist destination known for its historic building’s public gardens and museums. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512.

Kilkenny City Council were having on going issues with leakage on the network and water management from the two water treatment plants (WTP) that feed the city its drinking water, Troyswood and Radestown WTP’s. The water is then fed through trunk mains surrounding the city to the distribution network supplying customers. Working on behalf of Ward and Burk Construction Ltd. under the Irish Water pressure management project in Kilkenny City to upgrade the City’s water network to ensure supply and reduce interruptions.

 

Water Treatment Plants

  • Troyswood – 600mm Asbestos Cement main
  • Radestown – 381mm Asbestos Cement main

 

Working with two separate plants added to the complexities of the project as it was critical to keep flow pressures even from both sites, ensuring they continue to work in conjunction with one another. The strategic nature of both trunk mains, especially considering the lack of an alternative supply to the Troyswood main, meant that any live work required careful consideration, planning of the site works to minimise the time the mains are out of action.

At both water treatment plants, a pressure reducing valve (PRV) was supplied, commissioned, and fitted to the specifications outlined by Irish Water, throughout the network critical data loggers and boosters were deployed to six crucial locations to feedback information allowing the PRVs to adjust the water pressure as required.

 

Selected Sites:

  • Kilcreen Road -Booster
  • Markets Yard Pressure – Logger
  • Callan Road – Booster
  • Waterford Road – Booster
  • Bennetsbridge Road – Logger
  • Herbron Road – Water Services

 

The PRV design specifications allowed for three control mode options, fixed, time based, and flow based, theses control modes assist in ensuring the water pressure doesn’t and continues not to rise or drop below the required levels. By deploying electromagnetic flowmeters, pressure reducing valves and pressure controllers, with the capability of transmitting data to a SCADA platform, the desired results of monitoring and managing the water network pressure to reduce bursts and interruptions to customers was achieved, along with reduction in pumping, energy and chemical costs and safeguarding the water supply for the city.

 

Following the completion of the project it was estimated 1000m3 of water per day was saved, 1,000,000 liters. Enough water to supply over 2,700 homes and businesses. Furthermore, there has been a huge reduction in network bursts leading to a reduction in the need to deploy an operative to site.

Results:

  • Long term cost savings
  • Increased capacity & flow rate
  • Asset management and longevity
  • Reduction in network leaks & bursts
  • Drop in the need to deploy an operative
  • Less down time
  • Safe and secure supply of water

 

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