Revolutionary Water Conservation
Breakthrough Gives Utilities
Unprecedented Power for Controlling Water Loss
Broomfield, Colorado USA, September 13, 2006
- MWH Soft, a leading global provider of environmental
and water resources applications software, today announced
the worldwide release of InfoWater Leak Detection
Manager (LDM), a state-of-the-art geocentric modeling
solution for detecting underground water system leakage.
Based on the UK water industry standard step-testing
method, this world-class, practical water conservation
solution helps water utilities quickly and reliably
detect where leakage is occurring in the network.
InfoWater LDM has the power to help water utilities
worldwide eliminate inefficiencies in their drinking
water distribution systems and the resulting loss
of revenue. It can also help reduce the risk of contamination,
lower operational costs associated with increases
in pumping and treatment, improve system pressures
and firefighting capability, and forge closer ties
with customers.
The world's limited supply of fresh water requires
careful management. Yet according to the 2005 Report
Card for America's Infrastructure, prepared by the
American Society of Civil Engineers, "Each day,
6 billion gallons of clean, treated drinking water
disappears, mostly due to old, leaky pipes and mains
... enough water to serve the population of a state
the size of California."
The California Department
of Water Resources estimates that about 81 billion
gallons of water leaks from municipal systems in the
state each year. Some of the factors contributing
to leakage include inadequate corrosion protection,
older mains, faulty installation, material defect,
excessive water pressure (and objectionable pressure
surge), ground movement due to extreme weather conditions,
and excessive loads and vibration from road traffic.
When leaks prevent water from reaching end consumers,
utilities lose revenue and incur unnecessary costs.
InfoWater LDM provides water utilities with
a powerful operational tool to control the loss of
water they have paid to obtain, treat, and pressurize.
It also reduces the chances that leaks will cause
major property damage, adverse environmental impacts,
and detrimental or fatal water quality episodes. Reducing
leakage can also defer treatment plant expansion and
eliminate the need to search for future water resources
to accommodate population growth.
Built atop ArcGIS (ESRI, Redlands, California), the
groundbreaking application seamlessly integrates advanced
water network modeling and computational graph-theory
to provide a fully automated step-test leak detection
solution in the GIS environment. In the step-test
method, the network is subdivided into distinct areas
with excessive leakage. The size of each area is then
systematically reduced by closing valves on each section
of pipe in succession, while measuring changes in
the flow rate at a meter installed on the input main
to the area. A large drop in flow rate indicates excessive
leakage in the last section of pipe closed.
"The social, environmental and economic benefits
of detecting and correcting water main leakage cannot
be underestimated," said Roger Ro, MWH Soft
Vice President of Product Development. "If not
quickly controlled, leaks can waste a tremendous amount
of water. InfoWater LDM gives utilities a powerful
water conservation tool they can use to more effectively
manage water main leaks, instantly see the extent
of the problem, and make timely replacements or repairs.
This capability will help them minimize public health
risk and economic loss and conserve water - preserving
a precious natural resource and improving their bottom
lines."
"No one in the water distribution modeling software
industry has introduced more geocentric innovations
or done more than MWH Soft to bring users together
in a community whose value grows exponentially as
the community grows," said Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D,
the company's President and COO. "Our customers
have been asking for this critical water conservation
capability, and we worked hard to make InfoWater
LDM the simplest, most powerful tool with the
highest pound-for-pound return. The result offers
the ultimate approach to developing the soundest and
most cost-effective leak detection program to sustain
safer, more reliable drinking water supply infrastructures.
We are proud to introduce a revolutionary product
that will make an immediate difference in people's
lives, our communities, and our society."
Pricing and Availability
InfoWater LDM is now available worldwide by
subscription. Prices start at $5,000. For the latest
information on the MWH Soft Subscription Program,
including availability and purchase requirements,
visit
www.mwhsoft.com
or contact your local MWH Soft Certified Representative..
About MWH Soft
MWH Soft is a leading global provider of technical
and infrastructure software and professional solutions
designed to meet the technological needs of utilities,
government industries, and engineering organizations
worldwide. Its clients include the majority of the
largest North American cities and ENR top design firms.
The multifaceted, state-of-the-art CAD and GIS enabled
products created by MWH Soft empower thousands of
engineers across the globe to competitively manage,
design, and operate highly efficient and reliable
infrastructure systems. For more information, call
MWH Soft at (626) 568-6868, or visit
www.mwhsoft.com.
MWH Soft Contact
J. Erick Heath, PE
Vice President of Sales and Client Relations
Email Contact
(626) 568-6868