Leak localization in water distribution networks by means of harmony search optimization

Water leaks in water distribution networks (WDN) cause waste of the resource and, reduce the physical, commercial and global efficiency of the water supply systems. This paper describes a methodology proposed to define potential areas for leak localization in a WDN in real conditions, considering as a tool a computer program based on the Harmony Search evolutionary technique. It uses as a starting point a hydraulic model in Epanet that is representative of the WDN and makes iterative comparisons until the relative error between the measured pressures and those estimated is reduced. Subsequently, an exhaustive search is carried out with a direct search method in the potential. area resulting from the proposed methodology. The results obtained show that with the application of the methodology it is possible to optimize the search space and increase the effectiveness of the location of non-visible leaks and, thus, the physical efficiency of the WDN.