Innovyze, which creates business analytics software and technologies for smart wet infrastructure, has announced worldwide support for the EPA’s flagship EPANET and SWMM public domain software.
By offering its technical expertise to the EPANET and SWMM communities, Innovyze says it is ensuring ongoing maintenance of these free software models of sustainable stormwater, wastewater, and water supply systems.
SWMM can model the generation and transport of runoff and sanitary flows as well as estimate the production of pollutant loads associated with this runoff in storm, sanitary or combined sewers. With the recent inclusion of hydrologic performance of specific types of green infrastructure low impact development (LID) controls the model can be used to consider both grey infrastructure approaches (e.g., pipes, tunnels, high rate treatment), and potentially more cost-effective green infrastructure approaches (e.g., rain gardens, permeable pavement, rain barrels) for managing stormwater.
EPANET can help water utilities maintain and improve the quality of water delivered to consumers through their drinking water distribution systems. It can also be used to plan and improve a system’s hydraulic performance. The model can assist with pipe, pump, and valve placement; sizing; energy minimization; fire flow analysis; vulnerability studies; and operator training.
Together, these models give municipalities the tools to help them develop cost-effective green and grey water infrastructure options that reduce the release of untreated wastewater and improve the availability of safe drinking water, Innovyze says.