HNA Solutions

Introduction: Water distribution system modeling using EPANET software. I have 25 years of municipal water system experience with over 12 years of concentrated experience in water distribution system modeling. Water distribution system modeling allows a municipality to simulate and optimize the day to day operations of a distribution system. Modeling also allows the simulation of infrequent conditions such as demand during a drought, main breaks, pump failure, fires, etc., that do not occur often enough to be studied by direct observation, but for which the municipality must be prepared. A water distribution model is a tool that allows the conceptual development of improvements that can be simulated prior to construction to see if the improvement actually can solve the specific problem and how it affects the water system in whole. Pressure, flow, fire flow, inability to meet demand as well as other problems can be simulated and studied in order to develop the most cost effective solutions. In 2010 the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the water infrastructure in the United States a grade of D. According to their study, “America’s drinking water systems face an annual shortfall of at least $11 billion to replace aging facilities.” Although there is little debate as to the need for infrastructure improvement and replacement, there is considerable debate over who is going to pay for it. I don’t know the answer to who will pay the bill, but I do know that in a competitive funding environment, whether the funding source be federal, state, local, private or a combination thereof, those municipalities that are prepared with ready to go infrastructure projects that are justified and prioritized based on accurate quantitative data will be the ones pushed to the front of the funding line. Development of a comprehensive hydraulic model of a water distribution systems can help accomplish this.