Field investigation of a real water service line subjected to continous users’ activity

- Water service lines are among the structurally weakest elements in water systems being frequently affected by leakages and, as proven by recent studies, fast pressure changes could contribute to their deterioration. In this context, it is worth noting that users’ activity results among the causes of moderate entity but very frequent transients affecting both the minor systems (i.e. the plumbing system and the water service line) and the main water distribution network. The effect of users’ activity on service lines is a topic that remains not fully investigated. - Field characterisation of a real service line was conducted in order to study the effect of the continuous activity of both the user supplied by the service line and the nearby users. A 6-day monitoring was carried out through the high-frequency acquisition of pressure data (i.e. fa = 500 Hz) at two hydraulic sections along the service line. - The continuous users’ activity produces pressure variations on the service line and on the network that have revealed to be not negligible and variable in time leading to an associated hoop stress greater during the hours of typically higher water consumption and lower during the night-time.