CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR LOCATING LEAKS ON UNDERGROUND TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE – PART WATER SUPPLY

In the current versions of the two fundamental documents which are defining the management and development of the Water Sector in the Republic of Bulgaria – "National Strategy for Management and Development of the Water Sector" and "Strategy for Development and Management of Water Supply and Sewerage Systems in the Republic of Bulgaria", the main problems related to the bursts and water losses in the Water Supply Network, as well as the insufficient maintenance of Water Supply Systems and facilities, are clearly identified as the main ones. The water losses found in these documents are classified as large, assuming that they are mainly due to real leaks – both visible and hidden in the underground technical infrastructure. The main purpose of this publication is to be presented the conceptual model of a geographic information system for locating water leaks with a focus on the Water Supply Network and the problems on the latter related not only to the localization of leaks from the underground technical infrastructure, but also for the structuring of the water leaks related information. The conceptual model will be presented through the applicable ISO/TC 211 standards in the field of digital geographic information from the point of view of applying the principles and approaches of the systems approach.