Gradual transition from intermittent to continuous water supply based on multi-criteria optimization for network sector selection

Piped intermittent water supply bears numerous population health problems and may damage the network infrastructure. Thus, a transition to continuous supply is an option that must be studied. Nevertheless, many water companies have not enough resources to produce the big investments necessary for a direct transition. Consequently, we propose a gradual transition process based on optimal sector selection at the various network upgrading stages of the process, while considering the possibility of simultaneously having continuous and intermittent supplied sectors. We ultimately seek every sector to have continuous supply at the end of the process. Sector selection takes into account qualitative and quantitative criteria, which guarantees equity for still intermittent sectors, benefiting the highest number of users, and facilitating water company operation tasks. Thereby, it is possible to achieve a planned transition that meets water company economical limitations. The problem of optimal sector selection is a computational complex task, since it deals with a non-linear problem with mixed decision variables and is affected by uncertainty and qualitative criteria.