New York Water Supply Infrastructure Study. Volume 5. Analysis of Replacement Policy
Abstract
This report analyzes possible policies for replacing segments of New York City's water distribution system. Strategies were developed and tested, and compared with the Bureau of Water Supply's current strategy of replacing a main segment (equal to about 1/12 of a mile, on average) if it has had two or more breaks. A mathematical model was developed to conduct the analysis, which incorporates the cost of replacing water mains of different sizes and also the cost of repairing breaks that occur. Tradeoffs are involved. With repeated applications of the simulation, the strategy that results in the lowest present costs (replacement plus repair) can be found. The simulation allows analysis to be done 50 years into the future. The most appropriate strategy for New York City is the current policy of replacing mains that have had two or more breaks. Although this strategy was not the least-cost policy under all circumstances (discount rate and indirect costs), it was the best in terms of being the closest to the optimal under a variety of input values. In addition, the two-or- more-break strategy resulted in a system with a relatively low break rate. Keywords: Economics; Infrastructure; Pipe breaks; Pipelines; Rehabilitation; Water distribution; Water mains; Water supply.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA219212
Entities
People
- Adam H. Slutsky
- James W. Male
- Thomas M. Walski