Managing Gravity Pipelines in Philadelphia

Abstract

The Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Water Department delivers drinking water and operates all storm and sanitary sewers within the city of Philadelphia. This 142square-mile area contains 3,400 miles of publicly owned sanitary sewers, storm sewers, and a large area of combined sewers. As measurement technology has matured, the department has enhanced its systems for managing its infrastructure. In some areas, these changes have been dramatic. These include use of remote video equipment to inspect city sewers, online monitoring of levels and flows throughout the system, and geographic mapping tools that make it easier to locate specific pipes. Each of these programs requires large databases that require maintenance and application integration. To manage this information, the department has developed a comprehensive set of interfaces available throughout the citywide corporate network that address specific needs and provides for analysis that cuts across several systems.