← Decision Patterns Water Supply
What problem does this solve?
Relying on a single water source is risky. Droughts, contamination, or infrastructure failure can cut off supply with no backup.
How it works
Multiple water sources — reservoirs, rivers, groundwater, desalination, and recycled water — are connected through a single distribution network and managed as a portfolio.
Typical infrastructure
Reservoirs, desalination plants, water recycling facilities, treatment works, trunk mains
Typical monitoring
System-wide SCADA, demand forecasting, source availability tracking
Strengths
Resilient against any single source failing; can optimise for cost and energy; adapts to seasonal variation
Trade-offs
Expensive to build multiple sources; complex to operate and balance; public acceptance of some sources (e.g. recycled water) can be challenging
Related use cases
Operational scenarios where this pattern is applied:
Case studies
Real-world examples of this pattern in action: