A water audit was conducted according to the guidelines outlined by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in Water Audits and Loss Control Programs, Manual of Water Supply Practices – M36, Third Edition. The data reviewed and analyzed included the volume pumped for each source, source meter errors/calibration, the volume of water imported/exported, billed and unbilled consumption, recorded leakage, main breaks, and unauthorized consumption.
Key performance indicators, including Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) and non-revenue water, were evaluated to track management of the water utility. Based on the results of the audit, recommendations were made to improve system operation and reduce non-revenue water. Although the RWA’s non-revenue water water rate was around 15%, the audit confirmed that the RWA’s Infrastructure Leakage Index or ILI was at industry best practice levels, confirming that apparent losses made up the majority of RWA’s water loss.
The recommendations in the audit report included verification of flows at ten production meters, where serious over-reporting of flow was identified. As a result of this work, two of the production meters were replaced in 2013, including a 54-inch diameter venturi tube at the RWA’s main source. The audit report also confirmed statistical analysis of customer meter testing that led to a decision to focus meter replacement work on piston-type meters while leaving older but more statistically accurate nutating disc-type meters in service for longer periods.
This project included installation of 850 linear feet of 8-inch diameter water main, installation of 450 linear feet of new drainage, sidewalks, and roadway reconstruction on Park Avenue. The work included temporary bypass piping for the duration of the project. The project was funded by a CDBG grant.
Tata & Howard also provided engineering services for the installation of new 8-inch diameter water mains on Green Street, Lincoln Street, and Squier Avenue. The project included the installation of drainage pipe and catch basins as well as roadway reconstruction and new sidewalks. The project was funded by a CDBG Grant.
Newton, MA
Since 2009, Tata & Howard has worked with the City of Newton, Massachusetts on water main improvement projects throughout the water system. In total, the designs have included over seven miles of cleaning and lining and over eight miles of new 8-inch and 12-inch diameter water mains.
Our services have included design, completion of an Opinion of Probable Cost for construction, construction administration and resident observation. Plans were created using available GIS data from the City and field verification. The majority of the work has been funded through MWRA. A recent design included a new 12-inch diameter water main on Washington Street. Work includes cutting concrete panels, backfilling with Controlled Density Fill, and traffic management.
Phase I services included engineering services for bid, award, construction administration and resident observation services for approximately 6,500 linear feet of 12-inch water main and 750 linear feet of 8-inch diameter water main for a water main replacement project on Packachoag Street.
Phase II services included engineering design, bid and award, and construction administration and resident observation services for approximately 5,000 linear feet of 8-inch water main. Both phases are funded by the USDA Rural Development program.
Tata & Howard provided water and wastewater engineering services associated with the update of existing water and sewer system models using InfoWater and InfoSewer computer programs; review of the impact of proposed developments and proposed extensions to the City’s systems; verification of the hydraulic models for the City of Goodyear’s water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The water model included fire flow testing, C-value tests and calibration of the InfoWater hydraulic model. The wastewater collection system model included installation of six flow monitoring stations in three sub-basins, calibration of the model, development of a cost allocation model, and preparation of a technical report.
Tata & Howard prepared a facilities plan for the Corgett Water Reclamation Facility. The plan addressed the need for process redundancy and recommended improvements for increased flows and Class A+ effluent. Provided ongoing support services to address operational needs and to assess the impact of new developments on the system. Provided design, bidding, construction administration, resident observation, and construction services associated with improvements to the Corgett WRF including: filter system, low lift pump station, modifications to the sand filter, and instrumentation upgrades.
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Town of Spencer, MA
Tata & Howard provided construction administration services for a new 0.5 million gallon cast-in-place concrete water storage tank, booster pump station, approximately 12,600 linear feet of new 12-inch diameter water main, and miscellaneous distribution system upgrades. Construction of in-line isolation valves, removal of existing pressure-reducing valve (PRV) vaults, a new system wide SCADA system and new high lift pumps at the water treatment facility and well site were also included in Tata & Howard’s design. The purpose of this project is to separate the current single zone system into two pressure zones as required by an Administrative Consent Order from the MassDEP.
The creation of a two pressure zone system requires the replacement of the existing 200 horsepower (hp) pump at the Meadow Road Water Treatment Facility and 150 hp pump at the Cranberry Brook Well with lower head, high efficiency pumps and motors. The Meadow Road facility is the Town’s primary water supply source; therefore, changing of this pump requires coordination with the Department of Utilities and Facilities and the overall two pressure zone project construction sequencing to minimize the time this source is off-line.
Tata & Howard also verified the Town’s hydraulic model, which was used to select the best location for the new tank and select water main size for transmission and fire protection. The model was also used to determine the boundary line between the two pressure zones. A Capital Efficiency Plan™ is currently being prepared. Assistance will be provided, as needed, for public education of the project and during Town meetings. This project is being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Massachusetts State Revolving Fund (SRF). Due to an aggressive schedule required under the funding requirements, all design; permitting associated with planning, zoning, and wetlands; and project bidding were completed and approved within a six-month period.
Tata & Howard first assisted the District with responses to the Water Supply Division Sanitary Survey and then developed alternatives for the long term plan that would address all of the deficiencies and meet compliance with the Federal and State drinking water rules.
The issues were as follows:
- Wooden roof over concrete storage tank
- Inadequate disinfection system and metering of source
- Inadequate system pressures at the highest points within the system
- Water losses
- Inadequate metering of sources of supply to the storage tank
- Inadequate distribution piping for fire flows.
The solutions developed were as follows:
- Design and installation of concrete precast cover on storage tank
- Design of new building at storage tank with flow measurement and disinfection and better storage tank access for cleaning
- Virtual abandonment of auxiliary springs and surface water emergency source
- Design of water main replacement to meet required system pressures for compliance with the drinking water standards and rules
- Locating, permitting and developing a new source of supply (well) to supplement the existing wells and virtually eliminate the old spring sources due to the potential for contamination that had occurred in the past.
- Securing the maximum amount of grant funding available to the District at 45% with the remainder a low interest loan.
Burke Fire District #1, East Burke, Vermont
Tata & Howard worked with the District and assisted them to come into compliance with the deficiencies noted in their Sanitary Survey. This District was once a private water company with numerous water quality, pressure, and supply issues and it finally was turned into a Fire District. The system has 45 connections and is on a water connection ban from the State. Tata & Howard prepared a Water Supply Feasibility Study with regards to addressing all of the systems issues, which are noted below:
- Issues with the spring source and its spring house structure
- Issues with inadequate system pressure at a few connections
- No disinfection system or stand by disinfection system
- Lack of source metering
- Lack of source overflow metering
- Lack of auxiliary well approval
- Lack of system flushing hydrants
- Lack of good water system map
- Inadequate supply during summer months due to reduction in spring source
- Failed coliform tests requiring disinfection
The solutions developed included the following:
- New spring house roof and structure for disinfecting
- Computer modeling for alternatives to address inadequate flows and pressures
- Evaluation of the emergency well with Hoffer Consulting
- Development of a source metering vault and system
- Disinfection system for stand-by disinfection
- Plan for metering the spring overflow
- Alternatives for water system storage
- Alternative to connection to other water system source
- Flushing hydrants installation options
Water Supply Upgrades
Canaan Fire Districts (FD) #1 and #2, Canaan, VT
Tata & Howard provided engineering services associated with water supply upgrades for Canaan FD #1 & #2. These two districts are located about 1.5 miles apart, meet monthly, and have one operator. For FD#2, located in Beecher Falls, VT, Tata & Howard completed construction of a new concrete storage tank, well upgrades, and distribution system improvements including significant replacement of pipe. Tata & Howard was able to secure a 75% grant for the project which resulted in little impact to their water rates.
Fire District #2
FD#2 has 100 customers. The issues included inadequate system pressures, inadequate storage tank, inadequate disinfection system, and leaky pipes.
Tata & Howard developed solutions that included the following:
- A new storage tank at an elevation that would eliminate all pressure issues
- Distribution piping replacement and addition of hydrants of flushing and fire protection
- Reduction in water losses allowing for reduced well pump size, resulting in lower annual power and chemical costs
Fire District #1
FD#1 has two sources of supply. One is a large spring system located in Canada which consists of ten springs connected together, all under the influence of surface water and the other is a high yielding well source in the town limits. The issues are inadequate spring source construction and ability to maintain, low system pressures across the State line (they provide water service to West Stewartstown, NH), inadequate flushing capabilities, inadequate distribution piping, high iron and manganese levels in well source, and inadequate storage tank.
The solutions include the following:
- Elimination of the spring sources due to Canadian border issues and high cost for upgrading the springs and connection piping
- Installation of filtration system to meet the standards for FE and MN
- Construction of new larger water storage tank
- Development of a second emergency supply
- Improvements to distribution piping
In addition, we completed a feasibility study.
Advanced condition assessment of cast iron water main samples and water infrastructure provides insight into the quality and reliability of a water distribution system. The goal is to be able to efficiently and effectively run the water distribution system by allocating capital to areas of the system that are in need of rehabilitation or replacement. Tata & Howard is a leader in condition assessment methods for water distribution system pipe assets.
In 2007, Tata & Howard began extracting one foot long cast iron water main samples ranging in diameter from 6 to 12 inches as part of a cleaning and cement lining water main rehabilitation project. Since then, we have evaluated a significant number of cast iron water main samples for several water distribution systems throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, typically during a rehabilitation project, water main failure, or water main replacement project.
Sections are evaluated using several criteria:
- Pipe Class Estimation Based on Remaining Wall Thickness
- Visual Inspection
- Pipe Crushing ANSI A21.6-13 Yields Break Load of Sample
Samples are loaded, one at a time, onto a machine that monitors the application of load in pounds, and the load required to cause the main to break is then recorded. Additional visual inspections are also made and recorded.
- Remaining Factor of Safety Estimation
In the past, cast iron pipe manufacturers incorporated a 2.5 minimum factor of safety (FOS) to the crushing load necessary to break a water main. The manufacturer’s FOS can be compared to the crushing load that was measured at the materials testing facility, which then yields the estimated remaining FOS of the water main sample.
Condition assessment is beneficial in assisting a utility in the decision to rehabilitate a water main or schedule it for replacement, and in identifying asset classes that are candidates for replacement. The visual inspection provides an assessment of the quality of the water main, which assists in properly allocating capital funds to mains that are on the verge of failure or in need of rehabilitation.
Whitepaper:
Pipe condition assessment combined with break data for New England communities allows for continued analysis of problem pipes in distribution systems. This whitepaper outlines the research completed and the data collected to help pinpoint the next problematic pipe cohort. Read the complete whitepaper here.
