Pre 2014 Blogs

MWH Soft Ships Groundbreaking IWLive for Real Time Forecasting 
and Day-to-Day Operation of Water Distribution Systems

Broomfield, Colorado USA, February 15, 2010 — MWH Soft, a leading global innovator of wet infrastructure modeling and simulation software and technologies, today announced the worldwide release of IWLive for real time water distribution hydraulic modeling, forecasting and SCADA integration. The groundbreaking release givesInfoWorks WS users the ability to move their hydraulic modeling and simulation applications from planning and design to operation and control. The product builds on the success of MWH Soft’s Floodworks product line for real-time flood and collection system forecasting. This latest debut underscores MWH Soft’s vanguard position in the water industry and its continuing commitment to delivering pioneering technology for enhancing the safety, efficiency and reliability of the world’s water supply.

“IWLive allows utilities to harness the power of hydraulic modeling in the control room,” said Andrew Brown, EMEA Regional Manager for MWH Soft. “With increasingly complex water distribution systems, IWLive provides an affordable solution tailored to the day-to-day needs of system operators, whilst at the same time meeting the primary needs of a utility to supply a clean and reliable supply of water in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.”

Intended for use in the water distribution control room, IWLive gives operators unprecedented decision making ability. They can run accurate hydraulic simulations that factor in energy costs, weather, real time (or delayed) SCADA telemetry, demand history, valve and pumping control scenarios. Beyond increasing efficiency and reducing energy consumption, IWLive can help control room operators understand the effects of main breaks, pump and reservoir shutdowns, and other scheduled maintenance.

InfoWorks WS has long been used to predict the behavior of water supply and distribution networks and evaluate engineering options within the network. The evolution of computer technology has enabled utilities to more readily build and run “all pipe” models that represent an entire distribution system in a single view. Inevitably, these models began to be used for modeling not only planned activities, but responses to major systems incidents, such as a burst trunk main.

IWLive has enhanced the accessibility of this approach by equipping the control room with tools that are both predictive and reactive. It issues regularly updated warnings to alert the control room operator to problems that may occur in the coming minutes, hours, or days. The operator can see the predicted severity of problems and the time of onset in one easy-to-use interface. Beyond automatic prediction, IWLive can also enable the control room operator to evaluate problem-solving approaches by simulating the closure of valves or a change in a pump’s operating schedule. It quickly produces a second simulation that can be compared with the first to determine the level of improvement, the problems that remain, and the costs of the change.

The IWLive interface is fully optimized for operator use. It allows operators to see a map of all water infrastructures for which they are responsible, including appropriate background maps. Highlighted color coding shows predicted problem areas; a single click produces a detailed map showing pipes, valves, pumps, reservoirs and other water assets. Animation of the map shows the development of the problem; graphs show simulated pressures and reservoir levels. IWLive can be accessed remotely over a VPN. It can also be configured to send critical warning messages via SMS or email.

“With IWLive, MWH Soft has changed the paradigm for how and where hydraulic models can be applied,” said Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D, Hon.D.WRE, F.ASCE, President and Chief Operating Officer of MWH Soft. “Our customer base includes many of the world’s largest and most sophisticated water distribution operations. IWLive will give them the ability to react quickly and efficiently to many common operational scenarios, allowing them to improve system performance and reliability, enhance customer service, save money, safeguard critical infrastructures and maximize their ability to protect public health.”