EBMUD Begins Optimization Study
To address some of its system challenges, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) of Oakland, Calif., has engaged Optimatics of Chicago, Ill., to conduct an optimization study.
EBMUD is dedicated to managing the natural resources with which the district is entrusted; providing reliable, high quality water and wastewater services at fair and reasonable rates for the people of the East Bay and preserving and protecting the environment for future generations.
The district's service area is in the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area providing potable water to approximately 1.3 million people. The East Bay Hills divide the service area into two systems: the West of Hills area and the East of Hills area. This optimization study will consider the West of Hills area that borders much of the San Francisco Bay and uses about 200 million gallons per day during the warmer summer period.
Current system challenges facing EBMUD include:
• excess storage capacity and aging storage infrastructure,
• limited major transmission capacity,
• high water age, and
• significant differences in system operation between summer and winter.
Bill Kirkpatrick, manager of water distribution planning, explains: "The purpose of the West of Hills Study is to plan and optimize the configuration of the water treatment and distribution system to meet future water service demands to year 2040 and to integrate the potential solutions to correct existing major transmission system deficiencies." Maximum day, summer day and average day scenarios will be optimized considering both capital improvements and operational set points to achieve a near-optimal solution that minimizes capital and life-time operating costs. Sensitivity analyses on operating costs will also be conducted.