New Water-pumping System Curb Watermain Breaks
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
Enwin’s pipe-saving technology could spread around the world
A group of innovative thinkers at Enwin have won an industry award for developing a new water-pumping system that helps curb watermain breaks. The technology will likely spread to other municipalities.
The idea is simple: keep pressure constant so water doesn’t hammer old pipes as much from the inside.
The implementation is trickier. Enwin spent $300,000 and many hours devising, building and installing sensors that send info to a computer which automatically adjusts pressure, despite fluctuating usage, so everything flows smoothly.
“The beauty of this system is it’s not just a Windsor solution,” Garry Rossi, Enwin director of water production, said at a news conference Thursday. “This is something that can be applied globally.”
The technology, known as “model predictive control,” was already used in other industries such as oil and gas and food preparation. But Rossi called this a first for water distribution and a “game-changer.”
In 2014, the first full year using the system in Windsor, the city reduced watermain breaks by 21 per cent and saved about $250,000 through electricity and chemical reduction.
The idea stemmed from John Stuart, Enwin vice-president of operations, who heard about the technology at a conference in the U.S. and wondered if it could apply to water distribution. An Enwin team then brainstormed and came up with the answer: “Yes.”
Source: The Windsor Star
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