Cost-effective O&M Using In-house Hydraulic Modeling – Case Studies

The O&M challenges for the City of Houston's wastewater operations are intensified by an aging infrastructure with rapid growth, increasing costs of labor and materials with a near static budget, a flat topography, and frequent surface water flooding. For a better understanding of the complex hydraulic characteristics of the system, the City has developed detailed hydraulic models of its collection systems using field verified and physically tested data for all features that significantly influence system hydraulics. These models are calibrated and verified against measured flow.The City's in-house modeling group utilizes these models along with SCADA, O&M, and Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) and complaint databases to provide support to the collection system operators for enhanced operation and management of the wastewater flow.This paper is prepared to share the experience and the benefit of an in-house hydraulic modeling group in the cost-effective management, operation, and maintenance of the collection system. Two case studies are included that demonstrate collection system O&M enhanced through modeling.