MWH Soft Releases World's First Geospatial, Fully Dynamic Unidirectional Flushing Program

Revolutionary Breakthrough Gives Water Utilities More Power to Clean Mains, Restore Hydraulic Capacity and Enhance Water Quality

Broomfield, Colorado USA, February 21, 2006 - MWH Soft, a leading global provider of environmental and water resources applications software, today announced the worldwide release 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 accumulate over time - restoring hydraulic capacity and improving water quality.

The hydraulic carrying capacity of pipes deteriorates with age, proportionate to the corrosive nature of the water and surrounding soils. Precipitation, microbiological activity and corrosion may all form deposits on the pipe walls. 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 the 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 to maintain water quality and system capacity. It also requires the least water of any cleaning method. In this process, valves are closed and hydrants opened to create a one-way flow that removes built-up sediment in the water mains. This high-speed flushing (5 to 6 ft/sec) maximizes the shear velocity near the pipe wall, producing a scouring action in the mains that effectively removes sediment deposits and biofilm.

Among its numerous advantages, 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 dynamic 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 without excessive pressure drops (e.g., below 20 psi), and maintain the desired level of hydraulic performance in the system.

The program accurately considers the temporal variation in flow velocity magnitude and direction due to changes in demands, tank levels and operating conditions. It also computes minimum flushing time, total flushing volume and pipe length, flushing velocity of every pipe in the sequence, and available fire flow at the minimum residual pressure. The hydraulic impact of each flushing sequence is also monitored to ensure that the desired minimum pressure is maintained throughout the system.

"No company in the field of water distribution modeling software has introduced more geocentric innovations and done more to bring users together and build a community whose value grows exponentially with its own growth," said Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D, President and COO of MWH Soft. "Our customers have been asking for this important modeling capability. 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 groundbreaking product that will make an immediate difference in people's lives, our communities, and our society."

Early reaction to InfoWater UDF has been highly enthusiastic. "InfoWater UDF offers incredible flexibility in determining the optimal hydrant flushing sequences for proper cleaning - restoring hydraulic capacity and improving water quality," said Werner de Schaetzen, Ph.D, P.Eng., Project Manager for Earth Tech Canada and a leading expert in hydraulic modeling of water systems. "UDF is an absolute necessity for all water utilities. InfoWater UDF makes planning and implementing unidirectional flushing programs easier, faster and more reliable than ever before."

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. 

www.mwhsoft.com

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