# Automatic multiscale approach for water networks partitioning into dynamic district metered areas

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel multiscale network-based methodology for automatically partitioning water distribution systems into adaptable districts, enhancing control and efficiency under variable demand conditions.

## Contribution

It proposes a new multiscale network layout and partitioning method for dynamic water network segmentation, improving management and hydraulic performance.

## Key findings

- Supports dynamic DMA aggregation and disaggregation
- Enhances water system control during abnormal conditions
- Proven effective on a real medium-size network

## Abstract

This paper presents a novel methodology to automatically split a water distribution system (WDS) into self-adapting district metered areas (DMAs) of different size. Complex networks theory is used to propose a novel multiscale network layout made by landmark and key nodes for the water supply plus the hyper-links representing the connection between them. The proposed multiscale layout partitioning was tested on a real medium-size water distribution network. This is shown to naturally support further DMA aggregation / disaggregation operations with the direct benefit of providing a better dynamic system control and superior efficient water management than static DMA configurations, particularly in the case of abnormal functioning conditions. The proposed tool gives the possibility to automatically define a dynamic partitioning of WDSs according to spatial and temporal water demand variability, ensuring an efficient, sustainable and low-cost management of the system whilst simultaneously preserving the hydraulic performance of the WDS.