Technical Support for Hydraulic and Hydrologic Modeling and Data Analyses

Since 2017, Sci-Tek has been providing water resources engineering and analysis services in support of hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling, sewer flow and precipitation data analyses, and tracking systems support.  H&H models are used to estimate runoff and infiltration and inflow from the areas of the City of Philadelphia served by combined and separate sanitary sewer systems and to simulate the conveyance system carrying the flow.  The models also help with studying the combined sewage quality and quantity reaching the Water Pollution Control Plants and overflowing to the receiving water bodies.  The models are critical simulation and analysis tools for PWD in tracking changes, operating, maintaining, and upgrading the combined sewer system of the City of Philadelphia.  Of equal importance, H&H models are the primary means of estimating Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), in meeting permit obligations, and in developing, tracking, and reporting on the progress made in implementing the 25-year Consent Order and Agreement-driven mitigation program to reduce combined sewer overflows caused by stormwater runoff.

Sci-Tek and its subconsultant, CDM Smith, Inc. apply a rigorous quality control and quality assurance program that is critical as PWD works to build confidence in its data analysis and modeling products and to manage risk in a challenging regulatory compliance environment.  Sci-Tek and CDM Smith work closely with PWD staff to implement the following tasks:

• Support for H&H Data Acquisition and Analysis: Acquisition, QA/QC, and storage of environmental data sets needed for modeling such as rain gauge, radar-rainfall, sewershed hydrologic characteristics, collection system configuration, tide, water pollution control plant, and rainfall-dependent inflow and infiltration data.
• Support for Statistical and Data Gap Analysis: Detailed analysis of precipitation, collection system flow, and tide data using specialized tools such as USEPA SSOAP and customized R and Python computer programs.
• Support for Engineering Tools Development, Data Processing and Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling: Development, updating, refinement, validation, and application of PWD’s H&H models, developing tools to process, analyze and summarize data and H&H model outputs.

• Data Management Support for Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling Program: Data acquisition, interpretation, maintenance and further development of PWD’s customized GSI data tracking computer applications used as critical inputs to H&H models.