water supply; optimal pipelines routes; A-Star algorithm.

In regions where the water deficit is presented as a major challenge, the search for techniques that allow optimizing the water infrastructure is of great importance for managers. The present study aims to obtain the optimal layout of pipelines by adapting the A-Star (A*) algorithm, henceforth referred to as Modified A-Star for Pipeline Routing (MAPR), which operates in a specific search space, consisting of variables considered as most influential in the decision-making process of the ideal route, namely, the length of the pipeline and the power required for its operation. The algorithm calculates the route that minimizes the sum of annual costs associated with each of the considered variables. Real-world applications attest to the feasibility of applying the proposed method to present results of interest to pipeline system designers. For the validation of the algorithm, three systems were adopted, whose computational results indicate significant contributions to help in the search for optimal pipeline layouts.