AWWA IMTECH54018

Streamlined data management and cost effectiveness have become key objectives formany water utilities today. Regulations such as the Interim Enhanced Surface WaterTreatment Rule (IESWTR) require utilities to record approximately 35,000 turbidityreadings per individual filter and 2,190 turbidity readings from the combined filtereffluent annually. This regulation also requires utilities to maintain an archive of threeyears of data. This equals over 3 million turbidity readings annually plus time andlocation information, which results in a three-year database of over 36 million values forthe Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Birmingham, Alabama (BWWSB). By linkingexisting tools such as their Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system,ORACLE database, and Intranet capabilities, through ColdFusion (CF) scripting, theBoard was able to develop an on-line reporting application. The CF application allowsoperators to access turbidity readings for any filter from the four treatment facilities fromany Intranet terminal. In addition to general statistical and profiling functions the CFapplication allows plant superintendents to submit compliance reports to the State viaemail. The potential uses for the CF application include filter profiling, hydraulic loadinganalysis, particle removal efficiency tracking, and performance benchmarking forindividual filters. In short, the scripting not only allows operators to focus once again ontreatment and plant operation rather than data management, it provides them with aperformance evaluation tool without the complication of additional software andhardware. Cost effectiveness and efficiency begins with fully realizing your currentcapabilities and putting them to work for you. Includes figures.