Towards Optimal Scheduling of Intermittent Water Supply Systems Incorporating Consumer Behavior †

Intermittent water supply (IWS) systems, originally intended for continuous supply, have been compelled to adopt intermittent supply due to factors such as water scarcity, financial limitations, ineffective operational tactics, unexpected increases in demand, and infrastructure deterioration. In response, consumers have adapted by employing flexible behaviors and utilizing storage tanks to manage water during non-supply periods. This study aims to present a methodology for devising an optimal schedule for intermittent operations, prioritizing consumer equity. The framework is tailored to a real-world intermittent network in rural South India, accounting for practical constraints and fluctuations in demand. This article only shows the preliminary analysis of the system; the development of the optimization framework is still a work in progress.