A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Civil Engineering

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1999

The high level of unaccounted for water (UFW) in most Asian and Pacific cities is one of the major concerns for water supply management. Such problem arises due to the consequence of weak management and uncertain policies in this sector. Physical losses and administrative losses have been identified as one of the two major wings to govern this factor. But these two wings need supporting organizational setting to sustain and to produce optimal effect for controlling UFW. Such setting within Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA), Thailand has been observed through system dynamics methodology to trace out as draw back of main reason in water loss. The problem was addressed and developed by employing the dynamic interactions of different important variables and simulated with various experimental policies. It has been observed that intuitive individual policy measures are rather ineffective to reduce UFW. Numerous model experiments revealed that the leakage-breakage reduction phase through leakage-breakage information system (LBIS) system should be followed by replacement of network phase within desirable cost benefit ratio. Therefore, prudent and appropriate allocation of investment is required to provide a sustainable urban water management system.