In the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a technological transformation is redefining water distribution practices and ensuring the efficient transfer of knowledge. Through the integration of Qatium, the Murfreesboro Water Resources Department (MWRD) has been able to streamline unidirectional flushing to improve water quality and cut costs across the board.
THE CHALLENGE
As water pipes are used, they build up sedimentation and debris. To address this, pipes are “flushed” regularly – i.e. water is pushed through at a high velocity to remove anything that does not belong. Unidirectional flushing, in which water is pushed through from one direction at a high velocity, is preferable to regular flushing because a high velocity can be reached soon, reducing the amount of flow output needed and saving water in the process.
In the past, when MWRD wanted to conduct unidirectional flushing, they needed to either work with an engineer or an operator who was trained in a complex technological tool. Without that engineer or specifically trained operator, they were left with no alternative but to conduct regular flushing — pouring water, time, and money down the drain.
THE SOLUTION
Working with sensor and reading data sent by Specific Energy, MWRD implemented Qatium to create a virtual representation of their water network that incorporates real-time data to inform decision-making. Now, any MWRD operator, no matter their technical or engineering training, can easily run a flushing simulation to see velocity, pressure, flow, water age, and understand which customers will be impacted and how. Flushing sequencing is no longer a lengthy, cumbersome, expensive affair – it can be as easy as a few mouse clicks.
RESULTS
Thanks to how easy and accessible Qatium is, the Murfreesboro Water Resources Department can now conduct unidirectional flushing with confidence. Highlights of their initial use of Qatium included:
- Completed two days ahead of schedule
- Zero customer complaints
- Improved material (iron) removal
- Effective in PVC pipes: the flushing proved effective even in PVC infrastructure.
Key Figures
- Population served: 105,00 people
- Pipes: 450 miles
- Numbers of tanks: 5
- Number of pumps:5
- Number of water sources: 1
– Alan Cranford, Plant Manager, MWRDIt was a complete success. It proved that by doing this, we can get more material out of the lines than if we’re just out there flushing like normal.
