There are fundamental considerations for the planning and management of water supply and

reticulation systems. Throughout the recorded history large cities have been concerned with their
water supplies. Water supply system came to the aid of the modest sanitary demands of the day in
all urban areas. The paper at hand seeks to explore the main consideration in the planning of water
supply and reticulation systems. These include population demographics, water supply inventories,
climatological, weather factors, safe quality water and geological factors factor to be taken into
account in the planning of water supply and reticulation systems in an urban centre.

The availability of safe and reliable water supply is an essential prerequisite for the survival of all
urban centres. Water is a primary factor in the socio-economic fabric of an urban centre. Water
supply forms a vital part of social and physical infrastructure in any urban area. Well, (1998) notes
that water supply plays a key role in health, industry, energy and general consumption in both
developing and developed urban areas. Urban outlook of water supply for households, parks,
industry, gardens and commercial use in urban areas is also fundamental. Vijita, (1996), observe
that water supplies are used to meet necessities of life such as drinking, cooking, collective and
individual hygiene, heating and cooling of buildings, security of the urban area and industrial
activities. Since all biological life is dependent on water, it must be obtained at intervals by all
urban residents so that life develops around this need. It is therefore indisputable that water supply
is an important part of urban infrastructure.

Water reticulation involves the design, operation and maintenance of water distribution, storm
water and wastewater collection systems. It also encompasses the construction and maintenance
of all public pipe-works, including pumping systems and access chambers. Size of the city is of
the factors the affect water supply and reticulation systems. Steel and McGhee (1979) view that
though the size of the city is indirect it is true that small per capita water consumption is to be
expected in small city because there are limited uses of water for towns. On the other hand the
presence of an important water using industry in a city results in high consumption. They go on to
say that a small city is likely to have a relatively large area that is inadequately served by both
water and reticulation systems than a large city. Reticulation, sewerage or its absence will have
considerable effect. The presence and extension of sewers, may therefore necessitate additional
water supplies in an urban area like Chitungwiza.

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In addition, population demographics of the urban centre is also another consideration in the
planning of water supply and reticulation systems. It involves gathering information about the
current population, the number of residential consumer units, the number of households and
population growth of the area in question (Steel and McGhee, 1979). There should be a concern if
the population has outpaced the development of water resources. For example in Harare massive
urbanization and the increasing informal settlements have engendered a rising demand for potable
water supply. In the planning of water supply and reticulation system it is imperative to estimate
the amount of water that is required within a certain urban centre. This involves determining the
number of people who will be served and their per capita consumption. Forecasting the population
enables estimate the future demand for water in the urban centre. Vijita (1996), is of the view that
demographic consideration ensures that will be reasonable or recognizable access to a safe water
supply and it helps to anticipate future water demands of the urban centre. It is thus important to
determine future populations and estimate the potable water demands of those populations. In
addition to having an effect on the water needs, population projection also help to define the
potential supply of treated effluent that would be available for reuse.

Prior to the design and planning of water works, water demand needs to be also considered. Future
water demand is one of the key issues is water supply planning (McGhee, 1991). Water demand
refers to the total amount of water needed within a geographic area measured in million gallons
per day or gallons per day (Steel and McGhee, 1979). Water demand includes water delivered to
the system to meet the needs of consumers, for public, commercial, industrial, and domestic uses.
According to McGhee (1991) in the design of any water supply works and reticulation it is
necessary to estimate the amount of water that is required an it involves determining the number
of people who will be served and their per capita water consumption , together with an analysis of
the factors that operate to affect consumption. If the estimate demand of water is high it encourages
regulation or sustainable take of water and encourages efficient use of groundwater and surface
water resources to meet additional demand. Future water supply options will be identified when
this is no longer feasible. Water demand varies with respect to the population, time of the day and
seasons. Water demand projections are therefore important in the planning of water supply and
reticulation systems.

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Consumption for various purposes is of paramount concern in the planning of water supply and
reticulation system. Sen (1981) notes that since the water are a basic resource to the urban residents
it is used for different purposes and should be administered for specific purposes. The water
furnished to a city can be classified to its ultimate use. Domestic uses include water furnished to
houses, hotels for sanitary, culinary, drinking, washing, bathing and other purposes. Steel and
McGhee (1979) observe that commercial and industrial uses are that the water is classified in that
it is furnished to industrial and commercial plants. Its importance depends upon local conditions
such as the existence of large industries. Public uses involve the use by public buildings such as
halls, jails and schools as well as public services (flushing streets and fire protection, loss and
waste. It is therefore important for water supply system and reticulation to consider various use for
which any particular supply system is can be designated for.

Safe quality water supplied to the urban centre is an important consideration in the water supply
and reticulation system. Sen (1981) defines water quality as the presence of living organisms or
substances suspended or dissolved in water. Good water quality contributes to the protection of
public health. Poor water quality causes water related diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea,
dysentery and most recently typhoid in Harare. McGhee (1991) posited that the drinking-water
supply and reticulation agencies should consider and have the interest in the health of the
population at large, its interest should extend beyond water quality to include all aspects of the
adequacy of water supply for the protection of public health. Reed, and Scott, (2014) note that
drinking-water quality consideration entails the concentration of a constituent that does not result
in many health risk to the consumer over a lifetime of consumption. Drinking-water should be
suitable for human consumption and domestic purposes. It is thus important that the relationship
between water quality and health be fully appreciated in the planning of water supply and
reticulation.
Furthermore, the climatological conditions are also imperative in the planning of water supply and
reticulation. Steel and McGhee (1979) observe that rainfall, evaporation and seasonal changes,
depth of water table, recharging of groundwater, presence of streams, rivers and dams are some of
the important weather and climate factors to be considered much. Bradley, (1977), view that much
water will be used for watering lawns during hot and dry summers, and domestic use will be

3
increased by more bathing, while public use will be affected by use in parks and recreation fields
for watering grass and for ornamental fountains. On the other hand, in cold weather water may be
wasted at the fuacets to prevent freezing of pipes, thus increasing consumption. Also high
temperatures may also lead to high water use for air conditioning. This enables the water planning
authorities to provide continual adequate water supply in an urban centre regardless of seasonal
changes and climatic factors by developing for example impounding reservoir may be constructed
of such capacity.

In the planning of water reticulation system it is important to consider water supply inventories as
methods of providing drinking-water vary widely. They may include piped supplies, delivery by
tanker truck or collection from groundwater sources (springs or wells) or surface sources (lakes,
rivers). Twort,, (1985), notes that it is therefore important to build up a picture of the frequency of
the different types of supply as a preliminary step in the planning of water reticulation and supply
systems. This would ensure there is quality control of water supplies and reduces the
inconveniences of water shortage that may result due to lack of water supply inventories.

Geology is another factor to be considered mainly in the water reticulation systems. Sen (1981),
notes that it involves the likely existence of impervious and pervious rocks layers, prevalent rock
and soil types, geological faults, potential for boreholes and dam sites. Geological constraints
limits of necessitates pumping component in water reticulation and or transmission. Topography
determines speed and velocity of the water and sewage due to gradient of the area. Baldock (1991)
et al remapped the geology around Harare, that is the citys lithological variation and its structural
deformation that all rocks are of either igneous or metamorphic origin, which makes most of them
massive and crystalline in nature (hard rocks). Thus the impervious states of the land are unable to
store water in a primary sense. Geological factors of the area are thus important so as to prevent
the chaotic drilling of private boreholes in response to a failure in the regular supply of Municipal
water. Geology also affects water quality. Clark, (1971), observe that the chemistry of groundwater
is controlled by the type of geological materials through which the water flows and the amount of
time the water is in contact with these materials. The quality of groundwater is determined by the
type and concentration of its chemical and biological constituents.

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Hygiene promotion should also be considered. Steel and McGhee (1979) allude that the principal
consideration in the water supply and reticulation is to improve public health. It is difficult to
imagine any clean and sanitary environment without water. To obtain maximum benefit out of
improved water supply and sanitation it si important to consider public health and hygiene in the
urban centre. Good water coverage promotes hygiene. Chenoweth and Bird, (2005) noted that
hygiene promotion aims to break the chain of disease transmission associated with inadequate
water supply and sanitation. Planning of water supplies should take into account the links between
health, water and sanitation.

In conclusion, from the above discussion it is quite clear that the provision of water supply and
sanitation infrastructure is important to urban livelihoods and well-being. Details on physical
components, health aspects, climatic factors, water demand, economic growth, water inventories,
administrative arrangements and population served should be considered. If the performance of
water supply and reticulation system is to be evaluated, number of factors must be considered.
Access to water is of paramount concern and other factors such as population to be served, the
reliability of the supply and the cost to the consumer must be taken into account. It is certain,
however, that without water supplies there would be no life of any kind in urban areas and that,
without water readily available in adequate quantity and free of pathogenic organisms, man's
progress is tremendously hindered.

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 References

Bradley, D. J. (1977). Health aspects of water supplies in tropical countries. In Water, Wastes and
Health in Hot Climates. Chichester: Wiley.

Clark, John W, (1971). Water supply and pollution control. Scranton: International Textbook Co

Steel E.W and McGhee T.J (1979). Water Supply and Sewerage. New York: McGraw-Hill
Kogashuna, ltd

Chenoweth J and Bird J, (2005). Business of Water and Sustainable Development : Making
Environmental Product Information Systems Effective. Greenleaf Publishing

Vijita F, (1996), Water supply, London: Intermediate Technology,

Maddaus L, Maddaus W, and Maddaus M, (2013), Preparing Urban Water Use Efficiency Plans A
Best Practice Guide. IWA Publishing

McGhee, Terence J, (1991). Water supply and sewerage. New York : McGraw-Hill.

Reed, B. and R. Scott, 2014. Developing knowledge and capacity in water and sanitation. WEDC
Publications, Loughborough University

Sen, R. N. (1981). Water supply and sewage. Ludhiana: Kalyani,

Twort, A. C., (1985).Water supply. London, E. Arnold.

Well, 1998. DFID Guidance manual on water supply and sanitation programmes. British
Department for International Development (DFID), Loughborough University, UK.