Water undermeasurement evaluation in single households: the case of social housing units in Campinhas, São Paulo

Abstract

It is estimated that Water under measurement can represent from 8% to 23% of the total potable water produced in Brazil is lost due to undermeasurement. In indirect supply systems, it is common to have low flows are common, since it is usual to haveas reservoirs are usually controlled by conventional ball cock faucets. This paper shows describes a case a study case developed in 22 low-income houses located in Campinas, Sao Paulo. The aim was which goal is to determine the losses caused by under measurement, to identify their causes, and to formulate actions to reduce this problem. The study To reach those goals, the research was divided in two parts: a field survey and a laboratory investigation. This last investigationIn the laboratory, the analyzed the performances of a conventional and an ultra high flow ball cock faucets in under the same supply conditions were comparedthe same situation of supplying. The results of thisThe study allowed to check the determine the water volume not measured by the water meter, and increase the knowledge about the to know the water flow behaviour in the water supply studied sector investigated, behavior of the flows behavior of the population studied, aA water consumption index of the studied households was determined, an evaluation and and assessment of the ofmeasurement accuracy of the water meters installed in that region, identifying considering the measurement accuracy as it identifies the losses by under measurement losses, besides checkingand the behavior of the flow ball cocks.