It is no secret that a large portion of the drinking water infrastructure in the United States is near or past its intended design life. Our nation’s water infrastructure needs an overhaul, and the cost of doing so is climbing rapidly. The American Society of Civil Engineering’s 2017 Infrastructure Report Card graded the nation’s drinking water infrastructure a D. According to the American Water Works Association, an estimated $1 trillion is necessary to maintain and expand drinking water service to meet demands over the next 25 years.
As an engineer, your day-to-day responsibilities often include staying up to date on best-in-class applications and specifications. But whether you’re charged with designing a water treatment facility or pump station, or simply supervising an existing system, the equipment you select must be vetted. This is generally a challenge for engineers because many companies are vying to have their products deemed as the best solution, yet visibility into those claims is often limited.
The biggest flood in decades roared through the Village of Johnson City, NY, one day in September 2011, and the water department lost everything, including their office, which was submerged in several feet of water. Working with Neptune Technology Group, Johnson City began installation of its new Neptune meters, along with E-Coder®)R900i™ combination solid state absolute encoder/RF meter interface units.
In late March 2016, an estimated 60-foot wide by 35-foot deep sinkhole developed in Tarpon Springs, Florida, leading to the evacuation of several homes. The sinkhole engulfed part of a nearby road and damaged two sewer lines and a water line.
Web-based software services, more commonly called cloud computing or Software as a Service (SaaS), are being implemented globally by users in virtually all types of organizations.
Limited new natural water sources, especially in the southwest region of the USA, and rapidly increasing population has led to the need for innovative methods to manage a water supply system.
Clayton was plagued with exceptionally high non-revenue water rates in the 50 percent range. The city attributed the problem to leaks in its water system (parts of which have been in place the 1920s) that are exasperated by high pressure levels needed to pump water to more than 3200 service connections throughout Clayton’s mountainous terrain located 2200ft above sea level.
The estimated 100-year-old small diameter water mains coming westward out of Manning, South Carolina, were beginning to show their age. So when it was determined the South Carolina Department of Transportation would soon be resurfacing SC Highway 261, the city knew it was the optimal time to replace these aging smaller mains. The mains serviced the Clarendon County Courthouse, City Hall, the elementary, middle and high schools and about 60 businesses along SC Highway 261.
The city of Yakima services approximately 19,000 accounts within 27 square miles in the Yakima Valley. Frequent droughts, above average water loss and inaccurate meters prompted the city to search for a vendor who could provide a turnkey solution complete with a quality product line. The selected vendor also needed to have an endpoint that could withstand the extreme conditions experienced inside their meter pits including high humidity and varying temperatures.
Election season is in full swing and while it may not be the “hottest” topic being debated amongst presidential candidates, the topic of water isn’t being ignored as we approach November. Several candidates have addressed the challenges plaguing water and wastewater systems nationwide.
Non-revenue water (NRW) and, in particular, water loss through leakage has become an increasing priority focus for water utilities around the world. With failure rates of aging infrastructure increasing and growing water stress due to population growth and climate change, reducing the loss of essential water resources is paramount. Leak monitoring and detection systems from Trimble Water help water utilities proactively identify and reduce NRW and water loss, prevent service outages, and prioritize infrastructure repairs. Easy-to-use wireless and mobile leak detection solutions provide clear, accurate, real-time insights into the condition of the water network beyond the treatment plant. Paired with Trimble’s intuitive cloud-based GIS software, Trimble’s solutions make it simple for water professionals to visualize, manage, and analyze data from the field and use that knowledge to improve productivity and network performance.
A new pipe-repair solution promises to save time and money, while also being sustainable, long-lasting, fully scalable, and safe for workers.
Pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are used throughout water distribution systems to reduce pipeline pressure to a predetermined set point. This decreases water loss and prevents pipe breaks.
The simplicity of the compact, battery-powered Telog HPR-31 enables you to put it to work within minutes of unpacking. Once installed, the Telog HPR-31 measures water pressure at user programmable rates up to four samples per second with its internal pressure transducer. You can determine how often such data is summarized for reporting. The recorder computes any combination of minimum, average and maximum pressure measurement at each interval according to your selection of statistics and recording intervals. Recorded data may be gathered via an RS-232 connector using a handheld device or a laptop.
Virtually all industries from food and beverage to chemical processing use heat exchangers, condensers,or jacketed vessels. Leakage of the process into the cooling water represents a loss of product and can be a source of fouling or corrosion in the cooling water system.
The pressures of supplying a growing global population mean that the world’s water supplies need to be managed more closely than ever.
The HR-E LCD encoder has a 9-digit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to show consumption, flow and alarm information. The display automatically toggles between 9-digit and 6-digit consumption, rate of flow and meter model.
Some wastewater applications require chlorine residuals greater than can be effectively monitored using DPD due to the oxidation of the Wurster dye to a colorless Imine. Such applications include industrial wastewater processes that inherently have a high chlorine demand thereby requiring a more robust monitoring method.
The Aclara RF Network Data Collector Unit II (DCU) for water and gas utilities enhances your AMI network by providing reliable and flexible, two-way communications for water and gas meters.
Raw data from handheld field computers, drive-by AMR, fixed network, or 3G Cellular is easily made actionable under a single data management system.
Using the mobileRDM application, workers can push a button to receive status information, read the meter, connect or disconnect service and run diagnostics.
A hard-wired and entry-level version of the Mikron3 that enhances all leak detection kits.
Many businesses today – landscape service companies, construction and pool contractors, for example – often need a temporary source of water, and they are willing to pay for it.
The geographic locations where Americans live are shifting in ways that can negatively affect the quality of their drinking water.
“Smart city” technologies are on the minds of cities everywhere today. There’s no shortage of networks, end-point devices, software applications, and services to help cities upgrade infrastructure to conserve water, save energy, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.
When speaking with anyone who works for a water utility their priorities quickly become apparent. Water quality and reliability, intractably related to each other, form the core mission of any water utility. Without maintaining water quality and safety, customers may become sick or worse.
When it comes to the Internet of Things (IoT), especially in the sometimes conservative water industry, there may be considerable hand-wringing over incorporating IoT into your pump process. Some of the most oft-asked questions — from implementation trends through start-up and ownership — are assembled and answered here.
Lead is one of the most pressing challenges communities face in protecting public health in the face of aging water infrastructure. Clear and without taste or odor when dissolved, lead in drinking water poses major health risks, especially for growing families. Ingestion by small children can cause permanent brain damage, resulting in lower intelligence and medical problems for the rest of their lives.
IPR'S CIPP liner system for gravity-flow sewers and culverts is the most proven, cost-effective trenchless pipeline rehabilitation system in the industry. It is also the most widely specified form of trenchless pipeline rehabilitation.
