30 years of water supply modelling, what do I know
❄
Stories, tips and advice from 30 years of water supply modelling, with a focus on the uncertainty inherent in modelling. This presentation will act as a guide for budding water supply engineers, using a variety of stories, observations and opinions to illustrate what can be known and what remains unknown, so young engineers can best navigate the sometimes choppy seas of the best of the three waters! The presentation will give examples from a range of systems modelled, from urban to rural, sized from subdivision to city scale. The modelling approach to these systems will be discussed, along with how much effort should be expended getting the model “right”. Tips, tricks and common pitfalls will be illustrated with examples, focussing on the uncertainty inherent with the inputs and outputs from a model. The presentation will then switch from the technical side to the soft skills of communicating results effectively, highlighting the importance in getting the results of our work across to non-technical people. It will finish with the approach I take to all my work, that has stood me in good stead over the years. Items covered will include: • Interesting networks I have known, from the simple to the sublime, a range of pressurised networks will be presented to show the variety of systems out there. • Water network design – it’s actually very easy. Just complete the loop, have consistent diameters and keep it simple. • The purpose of your model drives its structure/level of detail – calibration effort versus reward and its impact on stretching the model use. • Decimal places, what place do they have in your report? You cannot say what you cannot see. • Peak day factors, its bigger than you think. A common mistake is using an inconsistent peak factor. The size of the overall network served, not the development being designed has be used to select the peak factor. • Leakage. It’s always there but cannot me measured directly, only inferred. • Create an image with impact – what are you trying to say? Creating a clear understanding of what is needed and why. Presentation tips - Put yourself in the audience’s shoes. • The secret of a successful (modelling) career A lot of the presentation will be opinion, and audience participation/questioning will be encouraged throughout, to make for a lively, informative and enjoyable session. |