Abstract:
When crises occur (e.g., disasters, public health emergencies), water infrastructure systems are often forced to operate outside the conditions for which they were designed. Hydraulic models can provide utilities with essential information in a crisis, allowing for near real-time system performance evaluation and informing management response. However, hydraulic modeling remains inaccessible to many water utilities due to extensive data, software, and skilled personnel requirements. Data needs are particularly troublesome because the water sector lags behind other industries in embracing advanced data management and analytics. Researchers have outlined steps to increase data analytics in the water sector and put forth new data management systems in areas such as hydrology and asset management. Notably, a classification system for hydraulic modeling data needs has not been developed. To address this gap, we documented the development of a hydraulic model of the water distribution system serving the University of Texas at Austin. In this study, we (1) classify hydraulic modeling data needs, (2) demonstrate model applications in both a crisis scenario and routine system management, and (3) assess key challenges in modeling. We found that the model can provide helpful insight in a range of management scenarios (e.g., identifying areas of poor system performance), but data-related challenges such as lack of standardization and extensive processing requirements hinder model development. As such, we recommend policy changes that incorporate model development into emergency response plans, ensuring they are in place before a crisis occurs.
