Coefficients and curves of hourly and daily variations of water demand for improved operation of potable water distribution systems: a case study of Chihuahua City, Mexico

Maintaining a constant flow in a potable water distribution hydraulic system is challenging due to fluctuations caused by changes in user demand and seasonal factors. This study aimed to calculate the coefficients and curves of hourly and daily variations of water demand in the water distribution system of Chihuahua. It is crucial to understand the hydraulic system's behavior during peak demands and assess its capacity. The methodology involved calculating coefficients and curves of variation of demand based on flow data measured at the inlet of various hydrometric sectors using flanged electromagnetic flowmeters of various diameters and models. The results showed that the variation curves and coefficients of water demand are valuable tools for modeling, designing, and operating water networks. Incorporating these curves into hydraulic simulations during the planning and design stage can improve the accuracy of these models and better reflect the network's actual behavior. The proposed method is suitable for application in cities with similar demographic and social characteristics. The study concludes that accurate supply area information for hydrometric sectors is essential in constructing the curves and coefficients of demand variations, which can lead to opportunities for improving water service by informing more effective network design and operation.