- 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece (andlag@upatras.gr)
- 2Department of Civil Engineering, University of the Peloponnese, 26334 Patras, Greece
- 3Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale ed Architettura Università degli Studi di Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Abstract:
As all water supply systems are inherently energy-intensive, the operational efficiency of the pumping infrastructure significantly affects their environmental and economic performance. Suboptimal pump configurations often result in excessive energy consumption, leading to noteworthy environmental degradation through increased carbon emissions as well as unnecessary economic burden. The current work aims to quantify both the environmental footprint as well as the economic implications associated with non-optimal pump operations.
The pumping efficiency is assessed via a large-scale, real-world application to the water distribution network of the city of Patras, utilizing energy consumption as well as energy billing data associated with operation of pumps. To estimate the total CO₂ emissions, we use data acquired from the Greek Public Power Corporation (see PPC 2024a and 2024b) and the Independent Power Transmission Operator (see IPTO, 2023), during the 6-month high water consumption period from May 2023 – October 2023 (see Serafeim et al., 2024). The integrated approach allows for environmental impact assessment, under the current pump settings, and their possible improvements through optimization.
The results highlight that suboptimal pump configurations may lead to increased energy consumption and associated CO₂ emissions (up to 35%) relative to the optimal configurations. The current findings underscore the importance of precise configuration of pump systems in order to minimize their environmental impact as a direct result of deviations from the optimal settings.
We conclude that the operational efficiency of pumping systems in water distribution networks provides a critical perspective on environmental sustainability and economic resilience. The results of this work underscore the effectiveness of efficiency-oriented interventions within the water supply infrastructure towards mitigating energy consumption, carbon emissions, and operational costs, leading to more sustainable water resources planning management.
References:
Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) (2023) Monthly Energy Reports 2023, https://www.admie.gr/en/market/reports/monthly-energy-balance?since=01.01.2023&until=31.12.2023&op=Submit (last accessed 13/01/2025).
Public Power Corporation (PPC) (2024a) Monthly Data for CO2 emissions, https://www.ppcgroup.com/el/omilos-dei/dimosiefseis/miniaia-pliroforiaka-deltia/ ekpompes-co2 (last accessed 13/01/2025).
Public Power Corporation (PPC) (2024b) Annual Report 2023, https://www.ppcgroup.com/media/yndddw43/apologismos-2023-0627-eng.pdf (last accessed 13/01/2025).
Serafeim, A.V., N.Th. Fourniotis, R. Deidda, G. Kokosalakis, A. Langousis (2024) Leakages in Water Distribution Networks: Estimation Methods, Influential Factors, and Mitigation Strategies—A Comprehensive Review. Water 2024, 16(11), 1534; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111534.
How to cite: Langousis, A., Fourniotis, N. Th., Serafeim, A. V., and Perdios, A.: Assessing the Environmental Footprint of Suboptimal Pump Configurations in Water Distribution Systems, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11915, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11915, 2025.
