MWH Soft Releases H2ONET MSX: Advanced Distribution Systems Water Quality and Particulate Material Modeling Software for AutoCAD 2010

MWH Soft, a leading global innovator of wet infrastructure modeling and simulation software and technologies, has announced the worldwide availability of H2ONET MSX, a state-of-the-art software for simulating and designing reaction systems at any level of complexity. The product is an extension for H2ONET, the standard in AutoCAD 2010-integrated water distribution modeling and management software.

There are a number of commercial programs for modeling the hydraulic and water quality behavior of drinking water distribution systems. However, their water quality components are limited to a certain number of fixed kinetic models, and can only track the transport and fate of a single chemical species such as fluoride or free chlorine. H20NET MSX equips utilities with unprecedented power to model multi-source, multi-quality systems and accurately assess the fate and transport of contaminant threats within them to best safeguard public health.

This breakthrough software enables engineers to accurately model very complex reaction schemes between multiple chemical and biological species in water distribution piping systems, both in the bulk flow and at the pipe wall. This gives users the flexibility to model a wide range of important chemical reactions, including free chlorine loss, formation of disinfection byproducts, nitrification dynamics, disinfectant residuals, pathogen inactivation, chloramine decomposition and adsorption on pipe walls.

H20NET MSX can be effectively used to track the movement, fate and buildup of particulate material in the distribution system. It considers both settling of particles under gravity and deposition of particles on the pipe walls due to particle/pipe surface attractive forces. This feature can greatly assist water utilities in improving distribution design to minimize dirty water, thus enhancing positive relationships with their customers.

In addition, the program allows users to input any mathematical models of physical, chemical, and biological reactions in the bulk water and on pipe surfaces. It also accepts any number of user-specified parameters and cross-dependent or independent formulas for process models. These capabilities give users unprecedented flexibility in accurately modeling individual or combined kinetics in drinking water distribution systems, resulting in improved water quality maintenance and management.

“This latest evolution in our AutoCAD-based product line brings a host of new, highly advanced capabilities for modeling distribution systems’ water quality and sediment transport directly to the AutoCAD environment,” said Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D., Hon.D.WRE, F.ASCE, President of MWH Soft. “By giving water utility engineers easy access to comprehensive, leading edge water quality research through products like H20NET MSX, we continue to enhance their ability to consistently design and operate safe and reliable drinking water infrastructures and effectively protect public health.”

Availability:
H2ONet MSX is available immediately by subscription worldwide. Existing H2ONet users can upgrade at a discounted price. For the latest information on the MWH Soft Subscription Program, including availability and purchase requirements, visit www.mwhsoft.com

New Recycling Plant in Delhi to Boost Supply by 11 MGD

The second water recycling plant was recently launched by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) at Wazirabad to improve the supply system by feeding two underground reservoirs in the area. The 11-million-gallons-per-day project is in addition to a 16-MGD recycling plant that was commissioned at Haiderpur last year.

The plant will be the first in the country to recycle water used in the initial stages of treatment so that there is no wastage. About 8% of water goes waste in various stages of treatment. At Haiderpur, it is this eight per cent that is recycled. Only sludge will remain as a byproduct and that too will be transported to Sonia Vihar for use in landfilling.

‘‘The Wazirabad treatment plant was built at a cost of Rs 27.8 crore, a sum that will be recovered within three years of operation. The water will feed two underground reservoirs at Burari and benefit about 2.5 to 5 lakh consumers in their command areas.

DJB’s old plants will now be equipped with recycling units. ‘‘The new plants, including Sonia Vihar, will have an in-built recycling unit. By the time all the four old treatment plants become functional, Delhi will have an additional 45 MGD water at its disposal.

Water from the two already-commissioned recycling plants will benefit about 7-8 lakh residents. A 10-MGD recycling plant at Bhagirathi is undergoing trial runs, while another 8-MGD plant at Chandrawal is likely to be commissioned by March this year.

Delhi Jal Board is setting up two more recycle water treatment plants, the first of their kind in the country, in Bhagirathi and Chandrawal complexes. It already commissioned one in Haiderpur last year. By March 2010, these plants will collectively add a total of 45 MGD to the city’s water supply.

The new recycling plant at Wazirabad complex, which gets 80 per cent of its raw water from river Yamuna, recycles “once treated water” and not raw water. So, the water is more potable.

White Paper Encourages Improvements to Climate Change Modeling for the Water Industry

Responding to water industry concerns about potential impacts of climate change on drinking water supply, the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) has released a white paper that outlines potential improvements to scientific models used to project how greenhouse gas emissions will affect the earth’s climate over time.

The report, titled Options for Improving Climate Modeling to Assist Water Utility Planning for Climate Change, identifies seven initial improvements to global climate modeling. These enhancements will help make climate models more useful to the water sector in identifying the affects of climate change on water resources and developing subsequent adaptation strategies.

“We expect this white paper to spur dialogue with the climate research and funding communities on what improvements can be made in climate data collection and monitoring, climate models and downscaling techniques so that they can be applied in a manner that is more useful for the water sector,” said Paul Fleming, Chair of WUCA’s Science and Research Committee.

“We also recognize that significant uncertainties will remain about how climate will change even if these improvements are pursued,” Fleming said. “As a result, WUCA also will examine different decision-making methods in light of these uncertainties, and will release a companion white paper on this topic in the near future.”

For more information about WUCA, or to access a copy of Options for Improving Climate Modeling to Assist Water Utility Planning for Climate Change, log on to http://www.wucaonline.org