Scholarly record

INVESTIGATION OF WATER CONSUMPTION IN SECONDARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN SOFIA, BULGARIA

Emil Tsanov, Viden Radovanov, Dimitar Alichkov

Abstract

The present study investigates water consumption patterns in 11 secondary and high school buildings in Sofia, Bulgaria, and evaluates the adequacy of the current regulatory requirements for this category of public buildings. Water consumption and pressure were monitored at one-minute intervals during two annual two-week measurement campaigns for each facility, resulting in a database covering 368 days. Water losses were identified through minimum night flow analysis and excluded from the assessment of effective water use. Statistical analyses of daily and hourly water consumption were performed, including the development of theoretical probability distributions and standardized hourly demand profiles. The results indicate an average daily water consumption of 11.83 l/student/day, approximately 31% lower than the value prescribed by the current regulation. In contrast, daily consumption with 95% probability of occurrence reached 29.41 l/student/day, exceeding the regulatory maximum by 47%. In addition, the hourly demand with 95% probability of occurrence reached 6.05 l/student/h, exceeding the regulatory design value by approximately 124%. These findings highlight the need for a broader measurement campaign to support refinement of the current regulatory framework.

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