Leakage assessment of water supply networks in a university based on WB-Easy Calc and night minimum flow: a case study in Xi'an

Under carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals in China, many public institutions have started to decarbonise their energy consumption sectors, saving water and indirectly reducing energy consumption by controlling leaks in water supply networks. Universities receive more attention for their huge water consumption. The campus water supply system of a university in Xi'an was selected as the study object. Through real-time monitoring of the water consumption of the water supply network system, flow trends and leakage characteristics were analysed in conjunction with changes in water consumption, and WB-Easy Calc (water balance analysis software) proposed by the International Water Association was used to calibrate and evaluate the system for leakage. The results show that: with each building as a separate metering zone, the minimum night-time flow rate of the university occurs between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m., and the WB-Easy Calc analysis can obtain more accurate apparent leakage; therefore, the combination of the water balance method and the minimum night-time flow rate method can effectively assess the water use and leakage of the university, which is a good inspiration for assessing the water-saving potential of the university and formulating the corresponding water-saving measures.