Waterworks Technologies of Fukuoka City
Waterworks Technologies of Fukuoka City
Waterworks Technologies of Fukuoka City
Fukuoka City in 1978
[Minamihata Dam’s exposed reservoir bed
during severe drought (right) and residents
getting water from water truck (above)]
Waterworks Technologies
of Fukuoka City
ʊOvercoming Water Shortagesʊ
Fukuoka City
Waterworks Bureau
Contents
1. Overview of Fukuoka City
—Not blessed with large rivers— P 2
3. A Water-Conscious City
—Effective use of limited water resources— P 6
(1) Use of non-potable water (reclaimed water, etc.) P 6
(2) Water distribution regulation system P 7
(3) Maintenance and improvements of distribution pipes P 8
(4) Leakage prevention P 8
(5) Communications with local residents P 9
1. Overview of Fukuoka City —Not blessed with large rivers—
Fukuoka City is a major city in southwestern Japan, with a population of roughly 1.5 million on an area of 340 km2.
Almost equidistant from major domestic cities (such as Osaka and Tokyo) and major East Asian cities (such as Busan,
Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Taipei), this is in an ideal location for exchange with other Asian nations, with many regular
international flights. Fukuoka has long thrived as a gateway for cultural exchange due to its proximity to the Asian
Continent and Korean Peninsula.
Fukuoka City Statistics [Fukuoka City Government Outline 2012 (Population and households data: as of Feb. 2013)]
Location 130°24’06” E. longitude Area 341.7 km2
33°35’24” N. latitude Annual mean temperature 17ºC
Population 1,496,066 Annual rainfall 1612 mm
Households 732,910 Establishments (all industries) 73,601
Population growth rate Approx. 1%/year Gross municipal product 6.63 trillion yen
Genkai Sea
Fukuoka City
Tatara River
Uminonakamichi Sangun
Mountains
Itoshima Peninsula
Mikasa River
Hakata Bay
Sefuri
Mountains
㻌 㻌 㻌 Fukuoka
㻌㻌 㻌㻌
City and Major Cities in Neighboring Countries Topographical Map of Fukuoka City
To the north, Fukuoka City faces the Genkai Sea over Uminonakamichi and the Itoshima Peninsula, which form Hakata
Bay. The city is nestled on the crescent-shaped Fukuoka Plain, surrounded by the Sefuri mountain range to the south, and
the Sangun mountain range to the east. All rivers flowing into Hakata Bay are medium or small rivers, including the
Tatara, Mikasa, Naka, Muromi and Zuibaiji.
Unlike other major cities in Japan, Fukuoka is not blessed with water
resources, with no large river, while local medium and small rivers are
short with high gradients, and run rapidly into Hakata Bay.
Longitudinal Gradient of Major Rivers in the Fukuoka City Area
Rhine
Source: National Land Conditions of Japan
(Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)
㻝㻘㻜㻜㻜㻌 Joganji Loire
㻌 Shinano
Colorado
㻤㻜㻜㻌 Abe
㻌 Tone
㻢㻜㻜㻌
Yoshino
㻌
㻠㻜㻜㻌 Chikugo
Seine
㻌
㻞㻜㻌 Kitakami Mekong
㻌
㻜㻌
㻌
EL (m)
Estuary㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻞㻜㻜㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻠㻜㻜㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻢㻜㻜㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻤㻜㻜㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻝㻘㻜㻜㻜㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 㻌 Distance from estuary (km)㻌
Longitudinal Gradient Comparison between Major Rivers in Japan and the World
Წ
Data: Based on “Water Resources of Japan (2012 Edition, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)”
Annual Mean Precipitation 㻌 Per-capita Water Resources
World (mean)ୡ⏺
Canada 䜹䝘䝎
New䝙䝳䞊䝆䞊䝷䞁䝗
Zealand
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Australia
Sweden䝇䜴䜵䞊䝕䞁
U.S. 䜰䝯䝸䜹
䜲䞁䝗䝛䝅䜰
Indonesia
Thailand 䝍䜲
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Philippines
France 䝣䝷䞁䝇
Japan ᪥ᮏ
Northern㒊ᕞ
Kyushu
U.K. 䜲䜼䝸䝇
China ୰ᅜ
India 䜲䞁䝗
Egypt 䜶䝆䝥䝖
The northern Kyushu region (including Fukuoka City) is one of the less water-rich regions in the world, with the relatively
few water resources available per capita [(Amount of precipitation less amount of evaporation/transpiration) multiplied by
the area of the region and divided by the population of the region].
2. Water Resource Developments—Diverse developments implemented to overcome water
shortages—
(1) History of water resource developments
Since the foundation of its waterworks in 1923,
Fukuoka City has implemented 19 facility expansion
projects to cope with the increases in demand caused
by population growth and other factors.
In 1978 and 1994, the city suffered severe droughts
with extraordinarily low rainfall and had to enforce
water restrictions over long periods, disrupting the
lives of residents.
Learning from these experiences, the city tackled the
development of water resources with an approach
unprecedented in Japan, including new source
developments at local rivers, the construction of
pumped-storage dams, dredging of reservoir bottoms
in existing dams, and more effective utilization of
agricultural water (such as switching from irrigation
channels to pipelines).
*The City receives water from the Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency
History of Fukuoka City Water Source Developments
(2) Water conveyance from outside the basin (Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency)
Deficiencies in water resources were common for the Fukuoka metropolitan area, comprising Fukuoka City and
neighboring municipalities. To address this problem, entities in the area established the Fukuoka District Waterworks
Agency in 1973 (originally 4 cities and 18 towns in 1973, currently 9 cities and 8 towns). With the cooperation of relevant
organizations, the agency started to intake water in 1983 from the Chikugo River, a large river outside the Fukuoka
metropolitan area.
Ჭ
Water Sources and Conveyance/Transmission Facilities
Currently Fukuoka City uses roughly 400,000 m3 of water each day (daily
average of water supply), drawn more or less evenly from each of three types of
From Agency Dams
sources: 8 dams, local rivers (the Tatara, Naka and Muromi Rivers), and water 36.5% 36.9%
received from the Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency (sources include the
Chikugo River and the seawater desalination plant). The water intake is sent to
Local rivers
five purification plants (Tatara, Otogane, Takamiya, Meotoishi and Zuibaiji) and
26.6%
the Ushikubi Purification Plant of the Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency, from
which it is distributed throughout the city.
Intake Ratio by Water Source
(5-year average during FY2007 -2011)
(3) Piping for agricultural water conveyance
In areas where agricultural water is drawn from Open channel system Piping system
the Naka River, Fukuoka City has been Evaporation * Water discharge points are
provided in various places.
switching the water conveyance system from
Pipe
the conventional open channels to pipelines Channel Infiltration
(piping system) since 1968. As a result, water
Paddy Paddy
losses due to evaporation or infiltration have
been reduced, and the saved water has been Infiltration Valve
effectively utilized for drinking water. Large water loss Small water loss
Effect of piping: Effect of Piping for Agricultural Water
Daily max. 70,000 m3(developed amount)
Ხ
(4) Seawater desalination plant (Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency)
The Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency launched a seawater
desalination plant construction project in 2000 to provide a new water
resource for the Fukuoka metropolitan area, with a total project cost of
40.8 billion yen. The plant started operation in 2005 with the largest
maximum daily production capacity in Japan—50,000 m3 (including
16,400 m3 apportioned to Fukuoka City (project approval)). While dams
usually take several decades to complete, the desalination plant started
operation in just 5 years.
Seawater Desalination Center (Fukuoka District Waterworks)
Ჯ
3. A Water-Conscious City —Effective use of limited water resources—
Fukuoka City established the Outline of Measures for Economical Water Use in 1979. In 2003, addressing unstable
precipitation and growing water demand, the city was the first in Japan to enact the Ordinance on the Promotion of Water
Conservation. Under this ordinance, large buildings with a total floor area of not less than 5,000 m2 (not less than 3,000 m2
within reclaimed water service areas) are required to install a non-potable water system. The city also designated
water-saving toilets to encourage their wide use. Aiming at the establishment of a water-conscious city, the residents,
business operators and the government are working in a united effort. The daily amount of water use per person (per-capita
daily mean water use) in Fukuoka City is 272 liters (as of 2011), which is a lowest among major cities in Japan, and reflects
the strong awareness of the residents.
Data: Based on documents released by respective entities in FY2011
Osaka
Kyoto
Kobe
Nagoya
Tokyo
Yokohama
Sapporo
Fukuoka
㻜 㻡㻜 㻝㻜㻜 㻝㻡㻜 㻞㻜㻜 㻞㻡㻜 㻟㻜㻜 㻟㻡㻜 㻠㻜㻜 㻠㻡㻜 㻡㻜㻜
[ltr./person/day]
Per-Capita Daily Mean Water Use in Major Cities in Japan
(1) Use of non-potable water (reclaimed water, etc.)
As part of the efforts to become a water-conscious city, Fukuoka City has been promoting the use of non-potable water
supply systems in which wastewater is treated and reused for flushing toilets and watering landscapes. There are three
kinds of non-potable water recycling methods. The individual facility circulation type treats greywater for reuse within a
building, the wide-area circulation type uses reclaimed water supplied from a reclamation plant, and the non-circulation
type uses rainwater and other natural sources.
Island City area
324 ha
(TreatmentprocessatChubuReclamationPlant)
Kashii area
77 ha
Seaside Momochi area
138 ha㻌 Downtown waterfront area
180 ha
Ჰ
(2) Water distribution regulation system
In 1981, Fukuoka City led the rest of Japan by launching operation of the Water Distribution Control Center, used to
regulate water flow and pressure in pipes from purification plants to faucets with the following objectives:
• To allow water to be supplied to faucets smoothly and equally across the city, regardless of topographical differences,
and
• To cope with varying water source conditions between purification plants caused by diversified water source systems.
At this center, the entire water distribution pipe network within the city, which is divided into 21 blocks, is monitored
around-the–clock, with flow meters in 83 locations and pressure gauges in 122 locations. Based on data received via
telemeter, the center controls the constantly changing flow and pressure in the pipes by remotely operating motor valves in
real-time at 177 sites (as of April 2013).
Water Distribution Regulation System Schematic Diagram Water Pressure Control Time-Series Chart
Ɣ Flow control (between purification plants) Effects of pressure control
For interchange between purification plants, flows are As shown in the chart above, by properly maintaining
controlled by operating motor valves while monitoring water pressure in each block at all times according to
flow meters installed on distribution pipe mains. demand, water pressure in pipes has been reduced by
Ɣ Pressure control approx. 0.1 to 0.2 MPa from the level prior to the
Several pressure gauges and motor valves are installed in establishment of the Water Distribution Control Center.
(Leakage has been suppressed by properly maintaining
each block. Pressure is maintained at an optimal level by
water pressure, which is affected by changes of
operating the motor valves while monitoring the gauges.
consumption over time.)
Central Control Room, Water Distribution Control Center Telemeter Installed on Sidewalk
Ჱ
(3) Maintenance and improvements of distribution pipes
For a stable supply of safe drinking water produced at the purification plants, maintenance and improvements are
systematically conducted for distribution pipes. For improvements, ductile iron pipes of superior strength and durability
have been adopted as a standard, and the pipes are covered with a polyethylene sleeve to prevent corrosion and ensure
durability.
[Total length of Fukuoka City distribution pipes: 3,935 km (as of the end of FY 2011)]
Distribution pipe maintenance and improvements in Fukuoka City are conducted using the following criteria:
Distributionpipemain Distribution
tank
Distributionpipebranch
EarthquakeͲresistantpipe
Emergencyhospital Evacuationcenter(school,etc.)
Preferentiallyconstructedusing
Earthquake-resistant pipe that withstands
earthquakeͲresistantpipes
external force (compression and expansion) and
Earthquake-Proof Network Construction Schematic Diagram adapts to ground deformation
Inspections are conducted by listening for subterranean sounds that might
indicate underground leakage, to locate leaks that cannot be noticed
above ground. Early detection of leaks and quick repairs facilitate the
effective use of water and the prevention of secondary problems.
Leakage Inspection
Ჲ
The entire city is divided into 250 grids. Data, including
history of transmission/distribution pipes failures,
leakage data, lengths of aged pipes, the number of
remaining lead service pipes, pressure inside pipes and
soil corrosivity, are analyzed every 4 years to assess
leakage risk on a 3-level scale. Then, leakage
inspections are conducted either annually (60%), every
2 years (32%) or every 4 years (8%) in descending
order of assessed risk. Based on leakage risk
assessment results, the leakage inspections cover 2,907
km of distribution pipes, along with 2,370 km of
door-to-door and valve and cock acoustic inspections,
as well as 537 km inspected by acoustic correlation
method.
As 90% of leakage occurs with service pipes,
replacement of aged service pipes is also conducted to
prevent further leakage. Water Leakage Investigation Grid Blocks
䛊䠂䛋
㻝㻜㻜
As a result of implementing the distribution 㻥㻜 Accounted-for rate
95.9%
regulation system, systematic 㻤㻜
Ɔ2011Ƈ
maintenance/improvements of distribution 㻣㻜
㻢㻜
pipes, leakage prevention and other
㻡㻜
measures, Fukuoka City is now maintaining
㻠㻜
a high accounted-for water rate with a 㻟㻜
2.6%
reduced leakage rate. 㻞㻜 Ɔ2011Ƈ
㻝㻜 Leakage
Leakage raterate
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Changes in Accounted-for Water Rate and Leakage Rate
(5) Communications with local residents
1) Publicity activities
The great drought in 1978 was a disaster, but it helped renew public recognition of the importance of water. In order
to prevent this experience in the future, in 1979, Fukuoka City designated June 1 as Water-Saving Day, and
established a water-saving logo that is descriptive of water circulation. Starting on Water-Saving Day each year, the
city runs a water-saving campaign from June to August, when water consumption tends to be greater. In addition,
diverse publicity efforts are continued throughout the year, including delivery of the Waterworks Bureau’s newsletter
to each household in the city, publication of a supplementary reader for use in elementary school social studies classes
and implementation of waterworks facility tours to raise residents’ awareness of the importance of limiting water
consumption in the establishment of a water-conscious city.
2) A crowd-sourced dam built by water-saving efforts
If every resident in Fukuoka City saves a bucket of water (10 liters) each day, roughly 54 million m3 of water can be
saved. For a city with few water resources of its own, which greatly depends on outside sources, water conserved by
each resident’s efforts has been another valuable water resource, a “crowd-sourced dam.” It is, in effect, a large-scale
water resource developed throughout the city, and has been a significant pillar in building a water-conscious city.
Ჳ
4. Safe and Quality Water—A supply of water that the public can trust—
(1) Improvement of drinking watershed protection forests
1) Watershed protection forests at 3 dams exclusively for the
city’s drinking water
In 1980, Fukuoka City started acquiring forests and other areas to
enhance the watershed protection function of the catchment area
for the Magarifuchi, Sefuri and Nagatani dams, which exclusively
supply the city’s drinking water, as well as to prevent water
pollution at these water sources that might be caused by
unrestrained development and such. In 2004, the Fukuoka City
Drinking Watershed Protection Forests Improvement Project was
formulated, and organized maintenance of forests has been carried
out in line with this project Nogochi Gorge (Magarifuchi) with clean water
2) Cooperative work with residents and others (maintenance of watershed protection forests)
Maintenance activities for watershed protection forests are
promoted to help ensure safe and palatable water. These tasks are
carried out in cooperation with Watershed Protection Forest
Volunteers*1, a group of citizens who have come to protect and
maintain the watershed protection forests, and with companies
and NPOs participating in the Cooperative Program for
Watershed Protection Forests*2.
*1 Watershed Protection Forest Volunteers
Citizen volunteers first acquire the knowledge and skills
needed for forest improvement and maintenance tasks through Tree planting by watershed protection forest volunteers
a program offered by the Fukuoka City Waterworks Bureau. (Magarifuchi)
They then serve as “evangelists” to spread awareness of
maintenance activities and their importance for watershed
protection forests, as well as to encourage an understanding of
water resource areas.
*2 Cooperative Program for Watershed Protection Forests
When non-government organizations such as companies and
NPOs take part in forest conservation as a social contribution
activity, the Waterworks Bureau allows them to use their
watershed protection forests.
Maintenance of watershed protection forest by company
employees and families (Magarifuchi)
Watershed protection function
The water retaining capacity of forests captures
rainwater in the soil and alleviates flooding and drought.
In addition, the purifying ability of forests brings us
clean and palatable water.
Function of Watershed Protection
ᲫᲪ
(2) Water quality management
In Fukuoka City, water taken from dams and rivers is purified at 5 purification plants. As the Tatara River, Naka River and
Muromi River are shorter and have lower discharge, these rivers are easily affected by the inflow of substances from the
watershed areas. At dams, there are problems such as the generation of odorants caused by algae thriving on the
overabundance of nutrients. To address these issues, we have taken measures such as the complete monitoring of quality
variations in raw water, utilization of an aero-hydraulic gun to suppress algae proliferation at dams, and adoption of an
advanced water treatment facility using ozone and granular activated carbon at the Tatara Purification Plant.
In addition to the efforts taken thus far, the Fukuoka City Water Safety Plan was formulated in March 2011 and has been
put into practice since April 2011. The plan was created to predict and analyze risks that may arise between a water source
and a water supply outlet, to liaise with other departments and divisions, and to prepare detailed countermeasures.
1) Characteristics of Fukuoka City An example
Water Safety Plan
Points where there may be a risk
are checked in advance, and the
manual was written to include a
communications system and
countermeasures so that quick and
appropriate action can be taken at
the time of an emergency.
Ɣ Risk assumption and analysis
Learning from past experience,
the probable frequency of a risk
actually occurring and its impact
on the water supply are
analyzed in advance.
Ɣ Detailed countermeasures
Variations in water quality levels
when a risk has occurred are
predicted and quantified, and
the countermeasures are listed
by level.
Ɣ Improved cooperation
between relevant departments
and divisions
A communications system and
countermeasures at the
occurrence of a risk have been
written into the manual and
shared with relevant
departments and divisions.
Risk Assumption and Analysis
2) Water quality tests
To supply safe and trusted drinking water, highly accurate water quality tests with ensured reliability are conducted. We
use a test system improved by installing and maintaining advanced test devices and enhancing test personnel skills. To
aim for more appropriate and transparent water quality tests, a water quality test plan is formulated every year to specify
test items, sampling points and frequency, and the test results are publicized
Water quality tests are strictly carried out for <Water quality test checkpoints>
each checkpoint between the water source (1) Water source: Water source is not contaminated.
(dam, river, etc.) and the water supply outlet. (2) Raw water receiving well: Raw water is of good quality.
(3) Sedimentation tank: Coagulation-sedimentation treatment to remove
In this way, water quality is thoroughly sand and dust has no problems.
managed. (4) Filter tank: Filtered water is clear.
(5) Water supply: Water is safe and satisfies water quality standards.
ᲫᲫ
3) Automatic and continuous water quality monitoring (improvement of water quality monitoring functions at
water distribution areas)
Purification Plant DrinkingWater Water Distribution
Purification Plant
Quality Center Control Center
Fukuoka City has installed automatic and continuous water
quality monitors for the distribution pipes. These
automatically measure residual chlorine, chromaticity and
turbidity, and send the data to each purification plant, water
Internet
distribution control center and drinking water quality
center.
As well as enabling early detection of water quality
Moniteor
Moniteor
Moniteor
Moniteor
Moniteor
problems, they also allow finer adjustment of chlorine
concentrations to reduce levels of residual chlorine.
Continuous Automatic Water Quality
Monitoring System Configuration
ᲫᲬ
(4) Environmental Management System (ISO 14001)
To continuously improve our environmental conservation measures, the environmental management system was
introduced in 2002, and ISO 14001 certification was granted in 2002.
Fukuoka City Waterworks Bureau Environmental Policies
<Basic principles>
Recent years have witnessed many global environmental problems, such as global warming and the destruction
of the ozone layer. As a result of these problems, extraordinary water shortages and water contamination are
significantly affecting our vital water resources. The Fukuoka City Waterworks Bureau is determined to protect
our indispensable water from these problems, conserve a water-rich natural environment, and pass down an
appreciation of the importance of water to future generations.
Environmental Conservation Effect (Amount of CO2 reduction) [FY 2011]
ᲫᲭ
(5) Environmental conservation efforts
1) Environmental load reduction (introduction of new energy sources)
In order to reduce the environmental load to counteract global warming, the Fukuoka City Waterworks Bureau is
engaged in efforts to save energy, and is introducing new energy generation methods, such as small hydropower
generation and photovoltaic power generation.
Ɣ Small hydropower generation
We are targeting a reduction in CO2 emissions by establishing a small hydropower generation facility at the Zuibaiji
and Otogane purification plants, where the difference in elevation between the water source and purification plant is
exploited to cover some of the power consumption at these purification plants.
Zuibaiji Purification Plant Small Hydropower Generation Data
Dam
㻌 Purification plant
Generator
Raw water
receiving well
Small Hydropower Generation Schematic Diagram
Ɣ Photovoltaic generation
A photovoltaic generation facility, one of our cleanest energy sources,
has been set up at the Meotoishi Purification Plant and the Waterworks
Bureau’s building shared with the Hakata-eki North Pumping Station
(for sewerage), to reduce CO2 emissions.
Photovoltaic Generation
ᲫᲮ
Waterworks Technologies of Fukuoka City
Ū Host countries of the JICA projects for which Fukuoka City sent specialists (long term)