Modeling International Rural Low-Cost Water Supply Projects with EPANET - Application and Best Practices

This case study describes the methodology adopted in designing and analyzing a rural water supply network in Sabongari (Cameroon) using the water supply modeling software EPANET, and the inferences made from the analysis results. EPANET is a sophisticated modeling tool and has numerous options to create varied simulations for extensive, complicated, and multiple scenarios, involving variation in sources, time/demand patterns, water quality analysis etc. Incorporating a lot of these options and assumptions, which requires a high level of proficiency in the software, may not be needed in the scenario of simple rural networks. This case study aims to lay out the instructions to model a simple network, in order to assist the NGOs and volunteers involved in similar rural water supply projects. The focus is on the assumptions, their justifications, and various restrictions in designing such a network and sharing the information we gathered in doing this project to aid the amateur volunteers.
The water is pumped from a borewell to an overhead reservoir and from there it flows to the 10 stand taps through gravitational flow. The target population is 2000 people. The analysis was done on a steady state basis, with a uniform base demand of 10 L/min. This network was already laid out at the site and the analysis results were used to suggest possible changes in this project or similar ones in the future for better results and cost efficiency.