How to manage the most important part of a city's internal infrastructure—its sewer systems

The operation and maintenance of modern sewer systems have not kept pace with technological revolutions everywhere—until now. Utilizing a combination of computerized management tools, monitoring systems, and other intelligent equipment, today's automated sewer management systems allow designers, managers, operators, and investors to get continuous data feeds on sewer flows, interjurisdictional billing information, and emergency situations: information essential to upgrading overall system quality and efficiency.

Sewer Management Systems offers a practical, comprehensive look at procuring and implementing state-of-the-art sewer management systems and monitoring equipment. It opens with an overview of sewer maintenance and management and then discusses such introductory concepts as understanding flow and how to measure it. It then introduces structures and features of the sewer infrastructure that are useful in general ways, providing definitions applicable in any context. Further chapters cover:

• Step-by-step guidance on making system purchase decisions
• Data communications, utility services, and sequencing
• How to clearly apply data generated to tangible, real-world tasks
• Additional functions that may be designed after the system is up and running
• Algorithm development for warnings and features for automatic sewer control
• How to get a return on investment for an upgraded system—showing how to use it as a funding source, not just a funding pit
• How to upgrade the installed monitoring system

The book's appendices provide equipment specifications, recommended calibration standards, and sample specifications. Offering methodical and detailed guidance to the state of the art of this important engineering specialty, Sewer Management Systems is the complete reference to designing systems that effectively monitor that most basic part of a city's infrastructure—the key to maintaining the city's sewer management systems and monitoring equipment.

THOMAS J. DAY is Director of Technology for American Anglian Environmental Technologies. He was formerly an electrical engineering specialist in the Operations Division of the Water Department Treatment Headquarters for the city of Philadelphia.