DEVELOPMENT OF NETWORK STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENT TO COPE WITH DEPOPULATION IN RURAL AREAS FOR OPTIMAL WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATION

Abstract

Recently, the population decline in rural areas has emerged as a significant social issue on a global scale. This problem inflicts considerable adverse effects on the design and functioning of infrastructure systems with a lifecycle exceeding 30 years, such as water distribution networks. The challenge of ensuring the sustainability of rural water distribution systems predominantly pertains to financial implications. In the absence of sufficient water allocation during periods of population decrease, the performance of the network is likely to deteriorate swiftly due to diminished flow within the system, leading to stagnant water that interacts with the internal surfaces of the pipes, thus compromising water quality. Consequently, this research quantitatively assessed the correlation between depopulation and the alterations in hydraulic performance and water quality within rural water distribution systems, analyzed the findings, and formulated sustainable operational strategies to enhance user accessibility to rural water distribution systems. © 2025 IAHR.