| Cavitation, Pathogen Intrusion, and Surge Modeling | |
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EPA regulations for pathogen intrusion protection are in the pipeline for implementation. The question is not "if" but "when" these new rules will pass. Even without a regulatory incentive, protecting potable water systems from cavitation is an essential design and maintenance goal. When cavitation, or vapor pressure, occurs in a pipe, liquids from the outside can be sucked into the line. When this happens in a potable water system, quality can be impacted creating a health risk. No utility operator wants to deal with boil water alerts and the negative publicity such events can cause. With a Surge model, the potential for vaporization pressures during a variety of events (valve closure, power failure, line breakage) may be identified. A variety of protection schemes, devices or operational procedures may then be evaluated if cavitation potential is identified. For more information read the EPA's Whitepaper on this topic: The Potential for Health Risks from Intrusion of Contaminants into the Distribution System from Pressure Transients |
