Against the background of increasing energy prices and climate change, energy efficiency becomes more and more important also in the field of drinking water production.

The feasibility study carried out within the first project phase has revealed that considerable energy savings can be achieved by means of smart well field operation and also through investing into new pumping technologies. The complex interaction of pumps, wells, groundwater and raw water pipes is the key factor to the energy-efficient operation of drinking water well fields.

In the course of the second project phase, the coupling of these system components will be simulated through mathematical models and subsequently validated at technical scale. The theoretical and practical investigations aim to develop a tool for supporting operators in identifying the crucial parameters allowing for an energy-optimised well field operation.

The project was carried out together with the Department of Fluid Dynamics of the Technische Universität Berlin and sponsored by Veolia.