Schedule a Call Back
Protecting water pollution using modelling software
Articles- Oct 01,18
Pollution of water bodies in and around mega cities is one of the common problems across the world. Here is an example of how modelling software for sanitary and combined sewers can help water utility to minimise total expenditure and mitigate water loss, while at the same time help protect the environment.
Pollution of water bodies in and around mega cities is one of the common problems across the world. Here is an example of how modelling software for sanitary and combined sewers can help water utility to minimise total expenditure and mitigate water loss, while at the same time help protect the environment.
Water utilities are faced with meeting a myriad of challenges ranging from disaster preparedness to environmental conservation to driving down total expenditures (TOTEX), at the same time as they are expected to improve service. This case study demonstrates the key role hydraulic modeling applications play in achieving water utilities goals.
Case study
Prolagos, a concessionaire of AEGEA, provides water and sanitation services to five municipalities in the Região dos Lagos, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil serving 400,000 inhabitants in low season and more than 2 million in the high season. Currently, 93 percent of the residents have access to the water supply and 76 percent to sewage collection and treatment. Prolagos strives to improve the sewer collection and treatment services with the highest possible RoI (return on investment), while seeking complete decontamination of the Araruama lagoon to bring back social, environmental, economic, and tourist benefits to the region.
The Araruama lagoon is the largest mass of hypersaline water in a permanent state in the world. In 1998, the lagoon was completely polluted leading to the death of aquatic plants and animals. This large-scale pollution raised the unemployment rate in the fishing industry, severely reduced trade and tourism activities, and increased risks to human health.
For the Sewerage Master Plan 2041, Prolagos integrated data from GIS, CAD, SCADA, and drones in a planimetric survey using SewerGEMS, Bentley Systems’ modelling software for sanitary and combined sewers. SewerGEMS streamlines the modelling process, so that the utilities have more time for solving wastewater engineering problems.
Models were developed to analyse “what-if” scenarios, and to determine the best long-term hydraulic combination of both sewerage and drainage systems for environmental, social, and economic gains. SewerGEMS “scenarios comparisons” were instrumental in engaging AEGEA’s management team in the face-to-face meetings.
An initial comparison of the master plan preliminary results with previous official studies showed a reduction of approximately 60 percent on the necessary investment to achieve the same rate of sewage coverage – 90 percent. Moreover, the plan enables significant annual cost savings due to the decrease of the systems’ energy consumption.
These savings would result from a decrease of 35 percent of the volume treated in the wastewater plants. The saving resulted from plan’s separation of sewage and drainage flows, which reduced the number of sewage lifting stations and improved the efficiency of the pumping systems, with some individual pump stations demonstrating gains of over 20 percent.
Moreover, the expansion of the separated sewage collecting system helps mitigate environmental impacts in the lagoon by stopping untreated discharges when sanitary sewers overflow from stormwater inflow or ground water is infiltrated through the concrete drainage
pipes. The model estimates a reduction of 6 million cubic meters of untreated discharges. Through integration with the operational control center, it was possible to easily simulate the effects of alternative investments scenarios in the networks operational efficiency.
Wagner Oliveira de Carvalho, Senior Project Manager, Prolagos, said, “Bearing in mind the shortage of available funds for infrastructure investments in Brazil, SewerGEMS can really make a difference in the optimisation of investments bridging the existing gap in sewage infrastructure, thus promoting social inclusion and increasing people’s living standards.”
Related Stories
Electrical & Electronics
India’s window to curb its carbon emissions looks increasingly hard to achieve
Over $12 trillion in investment and spending is required for BNEF’s Net Zero Scenario, 34% more than the baseline Economic Transition Scenario.
Read moreTest & Measuring Instruments
Rising automation increases need for testing and measurement equipment
In this interview, Manish Dixit, Sales Director – Instrumentation, ABB India, elaborates on factors contributing to the growth of T&M sector and the company's plans to tap opportunities in the sec..
Read morePlastic, Packaging & Printing
Role of smart sensors in monitoring air quality in industrial environments
Maintaining air quality within industry premises and surrounding areas is becoming increasingly important today. Smart sensors can be an effective tool to improve air quality, says Emily Newton.
Read moreRelated Products
Air Pollution Control System
POLLUTION CONTROL & WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT
Hindustan Engineers offers a wide range of air pollution control system.
Air Purifier sales soar in North India amidst rising pollution threat
POLLUTION CONTROL & WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT
As the nation succumbs to the festival frenzy and businesses prepare for booming sales, consumers in northern India are equipping themselves with a crucial device amidst plummeting temperatures: air p Read more
Pollution Control System
POLLUTION CONTROL & WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT
Hindustan Engineers offers a wide range of air pollution control system. Read more
latest News
Subscribe to iNoW
For Industry News on WhatsApp, Give a Miss Call on: +91 84228 74016
