Articles | Volume 11, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-11-25-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-11-25-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Apr 2018
Research article |
| 06 Apr 2018
| 06 Apr 2018
Mass imbalances in EPANET water-quality simulations
Michael J. Davis
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Argonne Associate of Seville, Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA
Robert Janke
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
National Homeland Security Research Center, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Thomas N. Taxon
Global Security Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Accurate and efficient junction mixing prediction in water distribution networks via surrogate modelling P. Gallo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108505
- Simplified Approach to Assess Supplied Water Age Variance in Branched Water Distribution Networks S. Díaz & J. González https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-026-04530-5
- Understanding Water Age in Distribution Systems withEPANET B. Burkhart & R. Janke https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2052
- The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies M. Davis & R. Janke https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-11-49-2018
- Cyber-Physical Stress-Testing Platform for Water Distribution Networks D. Nikolopoulos et al. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001722
- Modelling chlorine residuals in drinking water: a review C. Onyutha & J. Kwio-Tamale https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-03924-3
- Leveraging high-quality sensor data to enable simplified model-based digital twins for chlorine estimation A. Khajavian et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/28375807.2026.2724259
- Evaluation of an Automatic Drain System of Stagnant Drinking Water: A Case Study of a Water Supply Pipe in Seoul H. Oh & W. Kim https://doi.org/10.4491/KSEE.2021.43.1.88
- Framework for the Statistical Characterization of Supplied Water Age in Water Distribution Networks S. Díaz & J. González https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-025-04157-y
- Methodology for flushing pressurised irrigation networks for fertigation and operation maintenance purposes M. Jiménez-Bello et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-021-00724-4
- Modeling solutions for microbial water contamination in the global south for public health protection S. Izah & M. Ogwu https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1504829
- Analysing the effects of integrating local tanks in water distribution networks on water age S. Rizvi et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2025.2560569
- Human Health Impact Analysis of Contaminant in IoT-Enabled Water Distributed Networks E. Shahra et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083394
- Leakage Management Influence on Water Age of Water Distribution Networks O. Giustolisi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR031919
- A comparative study of operational engineering for environmental and compute-intensive applications G. Nguyen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.array.2021.100096
- Advantages of the Event Method for the Simulation of Water Quality in Pressurised Water Systems M. Hervás et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16040599
- Revised Chlorine Mass Balance for Chlorine Loss Assessment in Water Distribution Networks N. Charuwimolkul et al. https://doi.org/10.14796/JWMM.C543
- Understanding Water Quality Models by Particle Forward and Backtracking Methods M. Hervás et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18010021
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Accurate and efficient junction mixing prediction in water distribution networks via surrogate modelling P. Gallo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108505
- Simplified Approach to Assess Supplied Water Age Variance in Branched Water Distribution Networks S. Díaz & J. González https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-026-04530-5
- Understanding Water Age in Distribution Systems withEPANET B. Burkhart & R. Janke https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2052
- The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies M. Davis & R. Janke https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-11-49-2018
- Cyber-Physical Stress-Testing Platform for Water Distribution Networks D. Nikolopoulos et al. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001722
- Modelling chlorine residuals in drinking water: a review C. Onyutha & J. Kwio-Tamale https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-03924-3
- Leveraging high-quality sensor data to enable simplified model-based digital twins for chlorine estimation A. Khajavian et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/28375807.2026.2724259
- Evaluation of an Automatic Drain System of Stagnant Drinking Water: A Case Study of a Water Supply Pipe in Seoul H. Oh & W. Kim https://doi.org/10.4491/KSEE.2021.43.1.88
- Framework for the Statistical Characterization of Supplied Water Age in Water Distribution Networks S. Díaz & J. González https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-025-04157-y
- Methodology for flushing pressurised irrigation networks for fertigation and operation maintenance purposes M. Jiménez-Bello et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-021-00724-4
- Modeling solutions for microbial water contamination in the global south for public health protection S. Izah & M. Ogwu https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1504829
- Analysing the effects of integrating local tanks in water distribution networks on water age S. Rizvi et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2025.2560569
- Human Health Impact Analysis of Contaminant in IoT-Enabled Water Distributed Networks E. Shahra et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083394
- Leakage Management Influence on Water Age of Water Distribution Networks O. Giustolisi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR031919
- A comparative study of operational engineering for environmental and compute-intensive applications G. Nguyen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.array.2021.100096
- Advantages of the Event Method for the Simulation of Water Quality in Pressurised Water Systems M. Hervás et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16040599
- Revised Chlorine Mass Balance for Chlorine Loss Assessment in Water Distribution Networks N. Charuwimolkul et al. https://doi.org/10.14796/JWMM.C543
- Understanding Water Quality Models by Particle Forward and Backtracking Methods M. Hervás et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18010021
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 14 Sep 2026
Short summary
EPANET does not always conserve constituent mass during water-quality simulations. The failure to conserve mass can result in significant errors in constituent concentrations. We document the occurrence of mass imbalances, explain why they occur, provide recommendations for minimizing mass imbalances, and present a preliminary water-quality algorithm for use in EPANET that always conserves mass. Our paper should be of interest to anyone who performs water-quality simulations using EPANET.
EPANET does not always conserve constituent mass during water-quality simulations. The failure...
