CDM Smith Water Analytics: Empowering Decision Making Through Big Data Analysis and Living Models in Hartford, CT

The CDM Smith Water Analytics platform was implemented by CDM Smith and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) of greater Hartford, Connecticut to empower proactive real-time decision-making—enabling a smarter infrastructure approach to monitoring, operating and improving collection system infrastructure. This is accomplished through an automated integration of system data and hydraulic models for validation of expected performance, displayed through an easy-to-use web viewer. This platform is proving to be valuable in monitoring and refining the MDC’s 2 billion Clean Water Project to mitigate combined sewer overflow (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO).This innovative platform was developed through CDM Smith’s research and development program. Each day, the project database is automatically populated with data collected over the previous 24-hours from multiple sources, including SCADA systems, flow meters, sensors, and other third-party data publishers, such as USGS or NOAA. Utilizing the updated database, the hydraulic model is automatically updated, run and post-processed, with results and event statistics pushed back into the database. These data and model results, along with the MDC’s collection system GIS, are viewable in the web viewer, which can be queried dynamically to gain a better understanding of system performance under a range of conditions. System sensitivities, such as overflowed weirs, flooded manholes or surcharged pipes, are automatically highlighted in the web viewer.This platform effectively manages big data and achieves the following:Integrates SCADA, rainfall and flow data, GIS, record drawings, condition assessments and simulation model into one, easy-to-use platformTargets operations and maintenance activities, including inspection, condition assessment and cleaning, where performance varies from expectedCaptures institutional knowledge and facilitates collaboration between departmentsManages risk in design and operation through daily validation of system performance, confirming facilities are properly sized to meet program objectives and avert system failuresEmpowers proactive decision making through big data analysis and “living” hydraulic modelsThe CDM Smith Water Analytics platform is currently being used by the MDC for facilities planning and daily operations support. This partnership is the first of many potential application opportunities supporting system evaluations across the water, wastewater and stormwater industries, as well as real-time performance knowledge sharing.