Method and system for providing an energy cost estimation for a water distribution network

A method and system for providing cost estimation in connection with a water distribution network is provided. The method includes estimating the energy cost within a water distribution network associated with pumps pushing water from areas of low hydraulic grade to areas of higher hydraulic grade and using energy in the process, as well as estimating cost equivalents for storage changes that occur as tanks within the system fill or drain. The costs associated with this energy are taking into account. Energy Price Definitions are created that take into account the water utility rate structure for the associated pump and the times are which the pump is operating. The price of energy at the pertinent times is taken into account in an energy cost manager program that interfaces with a database of information about the water distribution network as well as utility rate structures from which can be drawn utility rate information to estimate the electrical energy costs for running the system during a particular simulation. The simulation also takes into account peak periods for the electrical energy usage, and normalizes costs to a common time frame.