Broomfield, Colorado USA, January 11, 2006
- MWH Soft, a leading global provider of
environmental and water resources applications
software, today announced the final phase of development
of InfoWater UDF, a state-of-the-art geocentric
solution for unidirectional flushing of drinking
water distribution systems. InfoWater UDF delivers
unprecedented power and flexibility in managing
the systematic flushing of water distribution
systems to remove stagnant water along with mineral
and sediment deposits that have accumulated over
time - restoring hydraulic capacity.
A pipe's hydraulic carrying capacity will deteriorate
with age, depending on the corrosive nature of
the water and surrounding soils. Deposits may
be formed on the pipe walls by precipitation,
microbiological activity and corrosion. These
accumulations increase hydraulic roughness and
reduce the cross-sectional area and hydraulic
carrying capacity of the mains. A loss in carrying
capacity can lead to low pressures and inability
to deliver fire flows, especially during high
demand periods. Slow-moving water can also result
in a loss of chlorine residuals at stagnant spots,
creating a public health risk. Problems associated
with water quality degradation are particularly
acute in dead-end lines and low-demand portions
of water distribution systems.
Unidirectional flushing (UDF) is the most effective
way to clean water mains and maintain water quality
and system capacity. It also requires the least
amount of water of any cleaning method. UDF involves
the closure of valves and opening of hydrants
to create a one-way flow in the water mains that
removes built-up sediment. This type of high-speed
flushing (5 to 6 ft/sec) increases the swiftness
of the water in the mains, maximizing the shear
velocity near the pipe wall. This produces a scouring
action in the mains, effectively removing sediment
deposits and biofilm. Among its numerous benefits,
UDF can help improve water quality by restoring
the disinfectant residual, reducing bacterial
regrowth, dislodging biofilms, removing sediments
and deposits, controlling corrosion, restoring
flows and pressures, eliminating taste and odor
problems, and reducing disinfectant demand throughout
the system. These benefits prolong the life expectancy
of the distribution system and reduce the potential
for waterborne disease outbreaks.
Built atop ArcGIS (ESRI, Redlands, California),
InfoWater UDF seamlessly integrates advanced water
network modeling with the latest generation of
ESRI GIS technology. The groundbreaking application
capitalizes on the intelligence and versatility
of the GIS geodatabase architecture to help water
utilities develop flushing sequences for each
flushing zone, quickly identify which fire hydrants
and water main valves should be manipulated for
proper cleaning while avoiding excessive pressure
drops (e.g., below 20 psi), and maintaining the
desired level of hydraulic performance in the
distribution system. The program also computes
the minimum flushing time, the total flushing
volume and pipe length, the flushing velocity
of every pipe in the sequence, and the available
flow at the minimum residual pressure. The hydraulic
impact of each flushing sequence is also checked
to ensure that the desired minimum pressure is
maintained throughout the system.
"No one in the water distribution modeling
software industry has introduced more geocentric
innovations and done more than MWH Soft to
bring users together and build a community whose
value grows exponentially as the community grows,"
said Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D, President and COO of
MWH Soft. "Our customers have been asking
for this important modeling capability, and we
created InfoWater UDF to make unidirectional flushing
the simplest, most powerful tool with the highest
pound-for-pound return. It is the ultimate approach
to developing the most effective flushing program
to sustain safer, more reliable drinking water
supply infrastructures. We are proud to introduce
a revolutionary product that will make an immediate
difference in people's lives, our communities,
and our society."
Pricing and Availability
The new InfoWater UDF is expected to begin shipping
worldwide in February 2006. Prices start at $5,000.
For the latest information on the MWH Soft
Subscription Program, including availability and
purchase requirements, visit www.mwhsoft.com
or contact your local MWH Soft Certified
Representative.
About MWH Soft
MWH Soft is a leading global provider of
technical and infrastructure software and professional
solutions designed to meet the technological needs
of utilities, government industries, and engineering
organizations worldwide. Its clients include the
majority of the largest North American cities
and ENR top design firms. The multifaceted, state-of-the-art
CAD and GIS enabled products created by MWH Soft,
empower thousands of engineers across the globe
to competitively manage, design, and operate highly
efficient and reliable infrastructure systems.
For more information, call MWH Soft at (626)
568-6868, or visit www.mwhsoft.com.