Network Design using EPANET, QGIS & WATERNETGEN

Step by Step guide for preparing network in QEPANET &

opening in EPANET 2.2

1. This material is a simple demonstration for how to use QGIS for preparing
water distribution network in any region and transporting the same to
EPANET 2.2.

2. We will start with opening the QGIS.

3. The QGIS Installation will lead to formation of folders on the desktop.

4. Select the folder containing your version of QGIS and open it.
5. Select the option “QGIS Desktop with GRASS” and double click it.

6. After double clicking on the option the software will start to launch.
7. It will take several minutes to launch and wait till you see the following screen.
8. Select a new project and start afresh.
9. You can also open an existing project if needed.
10. Now in the window let us learn how to load the Google Maps. Let us load Google Hybrid Map. For this select the XYZ Tiles
option and right click on it to open “New Connection” option.
11. Sear in Google as above and open the highlighted link.
12. You will get the url for each type of map. Copy the link and come back to QGIS screen.
13. In the new connection window paste the link in “URL” box and give name of the map.
14. Double click on Hybrid map and open it. Try to zoom in and locate the place where you want to draw the water distribution
network.
15. Now let us get the QEPANET plugin.
16. Go to plugin and click on “Manage & Install Plugins”
17. Select from the list of plugins available. To search the QGIS write it in the search bar.
18. Click on QEPANET and you will get the following window.
19. Click on Install Plugin and let it get installed.
20. You will get the above look after installation of the QEPANET plugin. Close this dialog box.
21. Start QEPANET plugin by clicking its icon.
22. It will ask for creating a new file or to open an existing file. Do as required.
23. After naming or selecting file, the next step will be to select the CRS. Please select the CRS relevant to area of project. If in
doubt you can google out the best suitable CRS for your project. As we are doing Vadodara Project we will select WGS 84 /
Gujarat.
24. It will highlight the area for which it is applicable. If CRS is not properly selected you will not get the output from QEPANET as
network will not be exported properly.
25. After selecting CRS you will see the above screen. Do not wait for the cursor ring to stop. Just click OK.
26. After clicking OK you will see the above screen wherein layers for junctions, pipes, tanks, reservoirs, pumps and valves are
added. The QEPANET itself is capable to carry out the analysis but for simplicity and reliability we are doing it in EPANET after
exporting the .inp file from QEPANET.
27. QEPANET will automatically give the length of the pipes, and to get elevation also for the nodes most accurate available
DEM(Digital Elevation Model) should be obtained from Bhuvan, Earthexplorer etc. and added as raster layer.
28. It will ask for the location of the raster DEM file. Select the file from its location.
29. Care should be taken to select the right type of DEM.
30. If DEM layer is above the Google Hybrid it will shown first and you will see the complete black view as above. To solve this
problem, click on the Vadodara srtm layer and drag it to the bottom of the list of the layers.
31. As shown above as the DEM layer is bought to bottom of all layers list the Hybrid map will be displayed. Now click on layers
and from the dropdown menu in front of the DEM option on right side select Vadodara_srtm.
32. Now click on the “Reset Layer Symbiologies”
33. Now click on the Junctions (right click)
34. Click on Layers CRS and click set project CRS from layer.
35. Now on the right hand side you can find the button for the creation of the nodes as shown in cloud.
36. After selecting the node button click on the map where you want to create the node. You can see the elevation value in the
red cloud automatically obtained due to DEM.
37. Create the nodes in the sequence what you believe the water will flow.
38. Now select the pipe button and start drawing the pipes. To draw the pipe left click on start node and then left click on the ed
node ,now right click on the end node in the same position to finish the pipe.
39. Draw all the pipe. If visibility of the pipe is not good you can change it by changing properties of pipes layer.
40. Junctions of the network can also be better displayed by changing properties.
41. Select the right type of display.
42. Now all the junctions are better displayed.
43. Someway change the pipe display properties.
44. Now pipe will be displayed in better manner. Provide all other components like tank, reservoir etc. You can provide them in
EPANET also. Now save the layer edits for Junctions, then save the project by clicking Save button.
45. Now the file is saved as .inp file. Open EPANET 2.2 and try to open the saved file.
46. Click on the file and open.

47. While opening the file select extension as .inp. Now select the file you have saved and open it.
48. You can see the same layout and the details are opened in EPANET as created in QEPANET previously.
49. You can see the elevation is recorded in the nodes due to DEM layer.
50. The length of the pipes are also mentioned automatically by QEPANET. Provide the remaining the parameters and complete
the analysis. For EPANET guideline you can refer the Santiago Arnalich book or the Helptopics.

ALL THE BEST! IN CASE OF DOUBTS ….WHATSAPP ME 8320440087.