Fast, Accurate, and Cost-Effective Sewer Data Analysis
Authors:
- Dimitry Lebedev - Hazen and Sawyer
Many municipalities have invested in monitoring of their collection systems to support various sewer system management tasks. The results of these efforts usually produce large amounts of data, which needs to be properly stored for future analysis and manipulation. The purpose of the data collection can vary from localized I/I study to system wide monitoring programs. Data is then often used to support Hydraulic model development and calibration. This paper presents an approach to this labor intensive task through a case study of a development of a computer application which is capable of supporting the entire range of data handling, from centralized storage of collected data and QA/QC to model calibration and reports.
There is an often disconnect between the data collection itself, data analysis and modeling. Each task is performed independently and almost never by the same group of people. Computerized tools can smooth flow of data through all these tasks with minimal effort from field staff through engineers and managers.
Features
How one can efficiently store Gigabytes of data and have it at their fingertips when they need it? The simple answer is a relational database. This is one of the most logical ways of storing the data. Utilizing centralized server database for this purpose, computer tools can automate data import functionality to support a variety of formats which makes this task very simple. The case study identifies key features, such as I/I analysis, dry weather flow separation, Rainfall Return Period Identification, Storm definitions, calibration review and more. Customized reports can be generated that support analysis and regulatory reporting such as that required by sewer overflow response plans, NPDES permits, and consent order driven reporting.
Conclusion
Computerized tools built using available relational database software can be used for almost all facets of data storage, manipulation, analysis and quality control. The benefit is fast, accurate and cost effective data analysis. It helps engineers to concentrate on the data itself rather than on managing it in excel spreadsheets or in meter manufacturer supplied programs which are limited in many ways. It also lends credibility to the data by demonstrating aggressive and timely QA/QC.
To request a copy of the full paper, please contact the author at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
