Planning and design criteria for creating water models

When planning and designing a water model in InfoWater Pro, it is best practice to consider the following six criteria:

Pressure:

Model must demonstrate that the system meets minimum and maximum residual pressure requirements for each pressure zone during normal and fire flow conditions.

Velocity:

Identify minimum and maximum velocities for transmission and distribution mains during regular operation.

Allow for limits to minimum and maximum velocities in distribution system under fire flow conditions.

These considerations govern future distribution system improvements.

Supply:

Evaluate current available water sources and their limits, considering volumetric, water quality and regulatory criteria.

Storage:

Determine available storage options and potentially necessary future storage options, including tanks and reservoirs.

Consider limitations of storage options:

• “Change-over” of water in tank
• Mixing
• Ice formation in certain climates
• Public preferences
• Material limits

For example, if customers do not want elevated water tank in neighborhood, may need to bury tank or select alternate location.

These considerations can all impact financial aspects of plan.

Fire Flow:

Understand required fire flow of system—typically governed by local Fire Marshal and NFPA guidelines.

Water Quality:

Identify existing needs and concerns regarding water quality, such as:

• Disinfection byproducts
• Water age
• Chlorine residual decay

Concerns can guide analysis of water system.

Depending on role of concerns, may need to create water quality model, to better forecast time and budget required to complete plan.

Once all critical factors are considered, the next step is planning the model.