The City of Norfolk desired to understand their transmission system holistically by establishing a long-term transmission infrastructure plan. In 2019, the city developed an infrastructure plan with capital improvement projects (CIP) for drinking water transmission mains, focusing on the next five years, to be updated annually with a long-term projection of 30 years. A geographic information system (GIS)-based pipeline prioritization program leveraged existing data and software tools to establish a defendable, prioritized ranking of city mains to guide the CIP program.

The unique aspect of this system is that the city’s engineering and operations teams were engaged in each step. Every decision, weighting, and criterion was evaluated as an integrated, collective team, resulting in a technically defensible tool with user and stakeholder commitment in its implementation. The expertise and knowledge of city staff were essential to the plan’s outcome.

The presentation will describe the process used to complete the program and provide perspective from both the consultant and the city.

Karina Keefe, EIT
Water Designer
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Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of compounds in the midst of a developing regulatory process. Some states implemented maximum contaminant levels (MCL) or guidelines for certain PFAS, and the federal government established proposed limits, health advisory levels, and additional investigations.

Often, groundwater sources where PFAS are present also contain volatile organic compounds (VOC), iron, manganese, or other contaminants requiring treatment. When facilities integrate PFAS treatment into treatment for other contaminants, they must consider the impact of the contaminants’ removal on PFAS treatment. In some cases, a single treatment process can remove PFAS and other contaminants. In others, a multi-step approach is preferred.

This presentation will present several case studies of integrating PFAS treatment into VOC and/or iron and manganese removal. Considerations for PFAS treatment included the impacts of existing aeration/air stripping on water pH and calcium carbonate precipitation, the potential for fouling of the PFAS treatment process with oxidized iron and manganese, the ability to co-treat PFAS and VOCs and/or iron and manganese in a single treatment process, and the impact of oxidants or sequestrants applied to the water on the PFAS treatment process. The presentation will outline the case studies and the reasoning behind the different treatment trains while treating similar contaminants.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is enabling the water sector to harness the power of digital technology in engineering practices. Digital technology plays an essential role in improving collaboration and engineering efficiency. Virtual reality and 3D design are no longer science fiction but are the new norm for design and operations management.

For example, a forward-thinking provider of utility services, the Howard County Department of Public Works, leveraged the power of digital technology to capture the as-built conditions for seven additions to the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant. 3D laser scanning was performed at the pipe gallery, and 3D building information modeling (BIM) files were developed.

The county used Cintoo^®, a digital engineering platform, for this project. Cintoo converts structured point-cloud BIM data into a surface mesh that becomes compressed data at 20 to 30 times, making it faster to transfer and less cumbersome to store. Also, Cintoo includes measuring and marking tools in 3D model space, which operators and design consultants can use for collaboration in virtual space.

As well, Cintoo’s virtual reality (VR) function provides a virtual assessment of and training on the proposed system. An ArcGIS^® platform was developed from the geodata converted from 3D BIM design files. Attributes of maintenance records, operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals, submittal files, spare parts, and links to the manufacturer’s website can be stored on this platform.

Furthermore, the ArcGIS platform can be used for smart asset management through a digital twin, a virtual model designed to reflect horizontal or vertical assets.

Digital engineering is also opening doors to a new generation of engineers and operators. According to a recent survey of high school and college graduates, 90% responded that they aspire to work with cutting-edge technology and the ability to do so would influence their job choice.

The Glenridge 66-inch water main required relocation to accommodate the construction of an operations and maintenance facility for the 16.2-mile Purple Line light rail transit project in Maryland’s Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. This initiative required the installation of 3,229 linear feet of steel water main using open cut and trenchless methods primarily within a 23-foot-wide median of a major four-lane thoroughfare. The project owner and design engineer involved the contractor between the 70% and 90% milestones of the project’s design progression.

The project benefitted from including preconstruction activities early, completing time-of-year restricted tasks prior to constraints, procuring concurrent design progression and material despite delayed supply chain conditions, modifying maintenance of traffic plans, and identifying risks. This advanced collaboration improved cost certainty, accelerated the resolution of unforeseen issues, and limited variance from the initial critical path schedule.

This session will be co-presented with Garney Construction’s Cristian Arevalo and Whitman, Requardt and Associates’ William Wagner.