Urban water supply risks assessment under tropical climate

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Urban Infrastructure Management
• Water Resource Management

Background:

• Tropical urban water supply systems are vulnerable to physical risks like pipe failures, flooding, and extreme weather.
• Aging infrastructure, material type, soil conditions, and traffic loads contribute to system failures.
• Assessing these risks is crucial for ensuring water quality and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a risk assessment of the urban water supply system in the Brunei-Muara district.
• To identify high-risk zones and specific pipe characteristics contributing to leaks.
• To inform mitigation strategies using digitalization and advanced technologies.

Main Methods:

• A data-driven risk assessment matrix was employed.
• Analysis of historical leak data and pipe characteristics (diameter, material type).
• Geospatial analysis considering elevation and flood susceptibility.

Main Results:

• Zones D2 and D6 were identified as very high-risk areas with significant monthly average leaks (880 and 471, respectively).
• Low elevation and flood susceptibility characterize these high-risk zones.
• Pipes with a 100 mm diameter, particularly ductile iron pipes, showed higher susceptibility to leaks.

Conclusions:

• Low-lying, flood-prone areas in Brunei-Muara district pose substantial risks to water quality and public health.
• Targeted interventions are needed for vulnerable zones and specific pipe types.
• Brunei is exploring digitalization, GIS, real-time sensors, and SCADA systems for risk mitigation.