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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Real-time control of stormwater has the potential to improve system performance for a fraction of the cost of new construction. Through a utility-university partnership, the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and the University of Michigan are applying state-of-the-science technologies within a testbed of the Greater Detroit Regional Sewer System (GDRSS). Initial results from this effort are a real-time control algorithm simulation study that demonstrates the potential to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and prototype implementation of a decision support dashboard powered by this real-time algorithm.
Author(s)
Gregory EwingAbhiram MullapudiSara C. TroutmanBranko KerkezWendy BarrottChristopher Nastally
SourceArticle of WE&T Magazine
Project IDWET25
SubjectStormwater;Instrumentation;CSO/SSO;Operations
Document typeMagazine article
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Print publication date Jul 2019
Volume / Issue31 / 7
Content sourceWE&T Magazine
First / last page(s)28 - 35
Copyright2019
Word count2,578
Subject keywordsGreater Detroit Regional Sewer System (GDRSS)autonomous technologiesretention treatment basinutility-university partnershipSCADA systems

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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The Team
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics team is a utility–university partnership, bringing together the University of Michigan and GLWA. The team’s goal is to enable GLWA’s first generation of smart storm and sewer collection system control.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count153
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
GLWA’s System and Capabilities
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The GLWA is a regional water and wastewater authority that services nearly 40% of the water customers in Michigan, including the City of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs — approximately 3.9 million customers. GLWA’s combined sewer system experiences frequent CSOs to the Detroit and Rouge rivers. To combat these persistent untreated overflows, and with a National Pollutant Discharge...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count241
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Turning Data into Information
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
A current trend in water and sewer systems is to increase instrumentation, providing unprecedented amounts of data on water levels, flows, and water quality throughout the system at any time. Yet, these raw data are not inherently information upon which someone can act. In fact, it is nearly impossible for any one person, or team, to analyze and interpret — in real time —...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count217
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The Plan
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
To test this idea, the team chose a subset of the larger system as a pilot. The pilot area was selected for the number and size of its controllable assets, including pump stations, inflatable bladder in-line storage dams, and 454 million L (120 million gal) of in-system storage. The in-system storage includes a 113 million L (30 million gal) retention treatment basin, and approximately 340 million...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count323
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Implementation and Analysis
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The team tested load-balancing control with an EPA SWMM input file representing a portion of the GLWA combined sewer collection system. Control actions are made during a simulation via PySWMM, a Python language wrapper for SWMM. Each controllable asset consists of an actuator — valve, gate, or pump — and an upstream storage element. These storage elements usually represent in-line...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count566
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Communication and Use
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
To communicate these recommendations, the team developed a decision support dashboard, shown in Figure 4 (p. 34). The design principle was to go beyond raw data to provide actionable information.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count265
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
Future Work
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
This preliminary investigation suggests that application of real-time control and a decision support engine can play a role in GLWA’s efforts to reduce untreated CSO discharges. The team has identified the following focus areas to improve the robustness of the application.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count162
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Description: Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
A Real-Time Solution
Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics
The takeaways from this research are as follows:
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2019
Word count289
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Open-Storm Detroit Dynamics