The paper describes a design methodology that can select a proper reliability factor and apply the selected reliability factor into the real water distribution system. Reliability factors which are used for the assesment of water supply networks, can be categorized by a connectivity, a reachability, an expected shortage and an availability. Among these factors, an expected shortage is the most proper reliability factor in the aspect of economic evaluation. Therefore, the expected shortage is applied to draw a water supply reliability into Changwon water supply systems. And the economic pipe diameter can be determined as 600mm for a connection pipe in the pipe network from the estimation of the expected shortage. Also, a quantitative effect of the connection pipe can be expressed in terms of the reduction, which is estimated by the expected shortage of 30,269$m^{3}$ from 68,705$m^{3}$ at initial condition to 38,436$m^{3}$ under the connected condition with the diameter 600mm pipe.