• AwwaRF enlists Malcolm Pirnie/HDR/University of Exeter Team to develop guidelines for calibrating, using hydraulic models.
CINCINNATI, Sept. 27, 2006 -- The Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) is funding a research project led by Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. to develop guidance on creating, calibrating, and applying hydraulic models for water distribution systems. Water utilities are increasingly using hydraulic models for a variety of applications and there is a great need for modeling guidance. This project will develop guidelines for a variety of model uses, including capital improvements planning, water quality, and operational studies.
The research project will include a comprehensive literature review and a series of workshops at conferences in the United States and United Kingdom. It will also employ Webcasts and other electronic media to provide interactive opportunities for experts and users to contribute to the final product. The outcome of this research will be an electronic guidance tool and accompanying documentation that will outline best practices for the modeling community. This project will also assist utilities officials in their decision making by helping them to understand the costs and benefits of different modeling approaches. The project is anticipated to be completed by spring 2008.
The research team comprises experts from the United States and Europe from Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., HDR, and the University of Exeter. It will be led by Dr. Vanessa Speight, P.E., an associate in Malcolm Pirnie's Cincinnati office, with Co-Principal Investigators Mike Agbodo, P.E., HDR's National Master Planning and Modeling Practice Group Leader, based in HDR's Riverside, Calif., office, and Dr. Dragan Savic of the University of Exeter. Participating utilities include the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Butler County Department of Environmental Services (Ohio), East Bay Municipal Utilities District (California), United Utilities North West (United Kingdom), Seattle Public Utilities, Waukesha Water Utility (Wisconsin), Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Tacoma Water (Washington), Municipality of Anchorage (Alaska), City of Thornton (Colorado), the City of Houston (Texas), and Denver Water (Colorado).
Malcolm Pirnie Inc. (www.pirnie.com), a century-old environmental consulting firm with a diversified staff of over 1,600 engineers, scientists and consultants in 45+ offices nationwide, provides governmental and industrial clients with comprehensive services in water and wastewater engineering, solid and hazardous waste management, environmental sciences. Malcolm Pirnie's drinking water experts provided technical assistance to USEPA during development of the drinking water rules and participated in writing the USEPA guidance manual for implementation of the D/DBP Rule. Pirnie has won numerous awards of excellence from national professional organizations for its drinking water projects.
HDR (www.hdrinc.com) is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm that excels at managing complex projects and solving challenges for clients. More than 5,200 employee-owners, including architects, engineers, consultants, scientists, planners and construction managers, in over 130 locations worldwide, pool their strengths to provide solutions beyond the scope of traditional A/E/C firms. HDR is Number 17 on Engineering News-Record magazine's Top 500 Design Firms overall rankings for 2006. It is ranked Number 10 in water supply and Number 13 in wastewater.
The Awwa Research Foundation (http://www.awwarf.org) is a member-supported, international non-profit organization that sponsors research to enable water utilities, public health agencies and other professionals to provide safe and affordable drinking water to consumers.
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Also see:
-- "HDR Tapped as Part of International Water Research Team"
-- "HDR Part of Team to Present Secure Border Initiative Program"
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