System of Performance indicators for Sustainable Management and Energetic Optimization in Pressurized Water Networks

System of Performance indicators for Sustainable Management and Energetic Optimization in Pressurized Water Networks | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article System of Performance indicators for Sustainable Management and Energetic Optimization in Pressurized Water Networks Elena Gómez Sellés, Roberto del Teso, Elvira Estruch-Juan, Enrique Cabrera This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8740509/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This paper proposes a system of energy performance indicators for the comprehensive assessment of water distribution networks, framed within urban water infrastructure governance, where energy efficiency is a critical element for sustainable service provision. The framework combines global efficiency metrics with a detailed characterisation of specific energy losses, enabling a structured and transparent evaluation of how energy is consumed and dissipated in pressurised networks. The proposed indicators quantify energy consumption relative to the supplied volume and allocate losses to friction, leakage, excess pressure and pumping station inefficiencies. Ideal reference values and achievable target scenarios are incorporated to contextualise observed performance, enabling the identification of efficiency gaps and the definition of realistic improvement margins that can inform planning and regulatory processes. Indicators such as manageable topographic energy and the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) provide decision-support tools to assess efficiency levels and the effectiveness of management measures. The methodology supports energy audits, prioritisation of interventions and evidence-based planning, promoting sustainable and resilient water supply services under increasing energy and climate pressures. Energy efficiency Water distribution networks Energy performance indicators Energy losses Energy audit Water supply systems Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 18 Feb, 2026 Editor invited by journal 17 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 30 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 30 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8740509","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":593477081,"identity":"d5339b1c-f5de-441f-959a-09b2561e548c","order_by":0,"name":"Elena Gómez Sellés","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACdjBpIcdGvBZmMClhzEa8HqiWxAaitfAzs198+KNCIr1PvvkBM++Owwz8/Afwa5Fs5ik25jkjkdvGxmbAzHvmMIPkjAT8WgwO86RJM7aBtDAAtbSlMRjcIOAwe6AWyZ//JNLZ2Ng/gLXYnyfgMANm9mMSvA0SCWxsPCBbbBgMGAg4TOIwD7MxzzEJwza2nIKDc8/Y8EjcIKCFv7394cMfNTby8s3HNz54u0NCjr+fgMMYGHgM4MwDjA0MPITUAwH7AwQbqGUUjIJRMApGAQYAACgmNieJoXT8AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3312-5435","institution":"Universitat Politecnica de Valencia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Elena","middleName":"Gómez","lastName":"Sellés","suffix":""},{"id":593477082,"identity":"6c50de54-9db0-4920-aa40-93ed26a746d8","order_by":1,"name":"Roberto del Teso","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universitat Politècnica de València: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Roberto","middleName":"del","lastName":"Teso","suffix":""},{"id":593477083,"identity":"e4231030-515a-447d-98c8-40118fc6ed44","order_by":2,"name":"Elvira Estruch-Juan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universitat Politecnica de Valencia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Elvira","middleName":"","lastName":"Estruch-Juan","suffix":""},{"id":593477084,"identity":"739cad6d-e129-412b-a3a6-cdb7870dba3a","order_by":3,"name":"Enrique Cabrera","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universitat Politècnica de València: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Enrique","middleName":"","lastName":"Cabrera","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-30 11:32:45","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8740509/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8740509/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103505425,"identity":"8a4586c6-501c-4f91-ba05-584a9e951810","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-26 13:30:53","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":782918,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SYSTEMOFPERFORMANCEINDICATORSFORSUSTAINABLEMANAGEMENT.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8740509/v1_covered_48a0a95f-8f5e-4da0-993c-f4882f2e37a0.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"System of Performance indicators for Sustainable Management and Energetic Optimization in Pressurized Water Networks","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"water-resources-management","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"warm","sideBox":"Learn more about [Water Resources Management](https://www.springer.com/journal/11269)","snPcode":"11269","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11269/3","title":"Water Resources Management","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Energy efficiency, Water distribution networks, Energy performance indicators, Energy losses, Energy audit, Water supply systems","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8740509/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8740509/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis paper proposes a system of energy performance indicators for the comprehensive assessment of water distribution networks, framed within urban water infrastructure governance, where energy efficiency is a critical element for sustainable service provision. 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