Urban growth has led to an increased demand for water supply. Frequently, mainly due to a lack of investment, this growth has not come along with an adjustment of the hydraulic infrastructure. This situation has gradually diminished the network’s capacity and favored the use of atmospheric storage tanks – located between the main network and the building’s network – because not only do they protect from sudden changes in demand, but also from water outages. 

Despite these advantages, water storage in these tanks creates serious problems in the system - water health and system energy efficiency being the main. The magnitude of these drawbacks is big enough to mitigate, or even disregard, the benefits associated to the use of these storage tanks. It is therefore crucial to suggest strategies for their progressive removal. 

However, assuring an adequate operation and protection of the supply network is compulsory to the removal of storage tanks. Knowing the increasing hydraulic requirements of buildings, both for steady and transients states, by which the main water supply network is unavoidably affected, acquires, therefore, a key role. 
In anticipation of the widespread installation of indoor pressure groups, it is worth examining in detail the transient effects generated by such elements, in order to protect the internal equipment and the network segment located in its vicinity. 
Once the transient effects generated by indoor installations are known, mechanisms and systems which aim at reducing and protecting the main network from pressure surges can be established. It should be noted that pipe deterioration is not only a consequence of a single pressure drop but also of the cyclic appearance of this surges. It is in this context where the use of pressure groups along with variable speed drives and pressurized tanks in the suction lines have proven very effective towards attaining a satisfactory network protection.