by Angela Guess
Emma Fried-Cassorla of Next American City recently reported on how the Milwaukee Municipal Sewerage District (MMSD) is using 3D data modeling to build a more effective sewer system. She writes, “MMSD, in many ways, sets the standard for wastewater management… Perhaps some of the most far-reaching developments are coming in the form of new computer and lab-based technologies. For instance, MMSD in collaboration with the Great LakesWATER Institute can now DNA test stormwater for human indicators, aka human feces. Cruder testing only identified the presence of fecal coliform or E. coli — two bacterial species in all animal waste. The first positive human hit, according to Shafer, was traced back to a luxury box in the recently built Brewers stadium because of incorrect pipe hookups.”
She continues, “Incorporating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a sophisticated way to visualize data, has allowed both Philly and MMSD to control their systems in real time. MMSD has added private and public weather radar data to create an even stronger predictive modeling system. Without real-time control, pipes overflow and sewage spills into the surrounding watershed. According to Richard Humphrey of the software design company Autodesk, the next step for municipal water systems is Building Information Modeling (BIM), a tech-enabled process that incorporates 3D geometry with an intelligent data system — what experts call ‘virtual construction.’ Data from traditional surveys, GIS maps and existing databases, combined with new 3D modeling and visualization techniques, form the foundation.”
