ARCADIA, CA, Oct. 10, 2013 -- A team supported by IDModeling (IDM) Professional Services was selected by the city of Westminster, Colo., for the preliminary design of a storage tank, additional pumping and a transmission main that saved the city nearly $1 million. The project required detailed hydraulic model evaluations using Westminster's water distribution system model to verify the need, size and location of the proposed improvements.
Applying the operational model resulted in the significant capital savings by verifying and validating that pipeline improvements would not be required. Additionally, the operational model identified an open zone valve, that once addressed, had an immediate positive impact on over-pumping and energy costs.
"In addition to the estimated capital savings, addressing the zone valve issue allowed us to reduce pumping and increased our confidence in the model as an operational tool," said Tom Settle, water treatment superintendent for the city. "We are excited about how this model can be applied to other areas of our system to improve our operational efficiencies."
To evaluate conveyance and general system operations, the steady-state planning model was extended to a 48-hour Extended Period Simulation (EPS) model, specifically suited for operational analysis. Further, the model was used to simulate existing pump and tank operations to verify improvements required for the proposed storage tank.
"This project's outcomes are a great example of the benefits of hydraulic model applications -- from verifying and prioritizing planned CIP to simultaneously improving day-to-day operational efficiencies and effectiveness," said Jason Pierce, IDModeling project manager. "It was a pleasure to work on this project and with this team to apply our passions to such tangible benefits for the city."
Westminster's engineering and operations personnel were actively involved in the project, from providing input on existing operations to verifying that the operational hydraulic model was adequately simulating recorded and observed facility operations.
The city's 2011 Water Infrastructure Master Plan recommended additional potable water storage to meet build-out water demands, and the Northridge Water Tank No. 3 was the first storage tank identified in the CIP. As part of the proposed storage tank project, the city was prepared to construct new waterlines to enable the existing and planned storage facilities to operate effectively. Other recent transmission main improvements had changed the behavior of existing facilities, and as a result, new pipelines were anticipated to restore adequate operations. Likewise, the city’s water model contained steady-state scenarios suitable for planning purposes, and Westminster recognized the value in developing an operational hydraulic model to verify the need for additional capital facilities.
About IDModeling, Inc.
IDModeling is a team of water industry veterans delivering solutions to empower the flow of water, information and communication for the global water industry. The Company leverages hydraulic models with asset management and software to upgrade, maintain and operate infrastructure assets; reduce energy usage and water loss; and comply with environmental, health and safety regulations. IDModeling develops, sells, and operates Sedaru(R) (See Data Run) as the software that connects water industry professionals to anticipate water operations, understand impacts, and solve problems for energy, quality, water resource, and asset management initiatives. To learn more, please call (626) 244-0700, email [email protected], or visit www.idmodeling.com or www.idmodeling.com/sedaru.
About city of Westminster, CO
The city of Westminster is located on the north side of the Denver Metropolitan Area. The Utilities department provides water and sewer service to the about 110,000 people. Two water treatment facilities deliver an annual average daily demand of almost 20 mgd to the distribution system through twelve pressure zones.
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