Haestad Methods Launches Geospatial Water Distribution Modeling and Management Software

July 2, 2002
Haestad Methods has released WaterGEMS, the world's first true Geospatial Water Modeling and Management System for the enterprise. WaterGEMS is a powerful GIS-based solution available for efficiently modeling, managing and protecting water.

"The patent-pending technology behind WaterGEMS allows for the first truly seamless integration of water distribution modeling and GIS (Geographic Information Systems)," said John Haestad, President and CEO of Haestad Methods. "Engineers and GIS specialists can now manage their water system data, time-series hydraulic results, current and future scenarios, and other core infrastructure data all within the same GIS environment. No need to transfer data back and forth. The model and the GIS are now one and the same."

Scott Cattran, Associate and GIS Manager at Woolpert LLP, added "The real advantage of WaterGEMS is the ability to use GIS analysis and hydraulic modeling in one environment using one dataset. This means tighter integration, and is a huge step towards building integrated enterprise systems. Couple that with the ability to customize the user interface and you have the most sophisticated GIS-integrated modeling package on the market."

Haestad Methods' product philosophy is to make intellectual investments in strong technologies and to consistently adapt to customer's changing needs. WaterGEMS was developed using cutting-edge ArcObjects(TM) technology from GIS market leader ESRI and state-of-the-art computing tools from Microsoft's .NET initiative. Haestad added, "Because of this, WaterGEMS' functionality will continue to grow not only as Haestad Methods develops new tools, but as ESRI and Microsoft add functionality as well. This approach opens up so many more doors for our users."

The development of the GEMS (Geographic Engineering Modeling System) framework is a technological leap for Haestad Methods and forms the backbone of its future product lines. WaterGEMS' suite of powerful modeling tools includes:

Skelebrator(TM) for reducing complex GIS assets and CAD data sets into accurate modeling representations while automatically preserving pipe network integrity and hydraulic capacity

Reflective Data Model for extending the data coverage in real-time by adding custom fields, attributes, and objects (GEMSLinks(TM))

LoadBuilder(TM) for defining, assigning, forecasting, and managing customer demand information as defined by meter records, land use, parcels, and zoning plans

TRex(TM) terrain extraction utility for automatic mining of elevation data from DEM (digital elevation model) and DTM (digital terrain model) datasets

WaterSafe(TM) technology for simulating potential terrorist attacks and disruptions to the water system, predicting contaminant propagation and concentration, preparing for emergencies, identifying impacted populations, and supporting real-time decision-making

ModelForge(TM) for linking any type of enterprise and GIS data to the GEMS environment and constructing a living model from existing data assets

WaterObjects(TM) for adding custom functionality and developing components and full applications using standard programming languages and scripts

GeoGrapher(TM) for advanced visualization, graphic presentation, and publishing of any data store

SCADA Connections for automatically incorporating field data into the calibration process and updating the model on the fly with live boundary conditions

Darwin(TM) Optimization tools based on multi-parameter genetic algorithms and MAGIC(TM) technology that streamline and automate calibration, system design, and pump operations

Scenario Control Center(TM) for organizing, comparing, and managing historical, current, proposed, and real-time modeling scenarios

Variable-Speed Pump Modeling with APEX(TM) Technology that automatically calculates pump speeds during EPS runs, enables full logical controls, and targets nodes anywhere in the system

Advanced Hydraulic and Water Quality Capabilities such as automated fireflow analysis; constituent, age, and trace analysis; leakage and sprinkler modeling; energy and capital cost evaluation; and more.

"WaterGEMS provides an efficient means for existing WaterCAD or competing water distribution model users to quickly integrate their water modeling data with the latest GIS technology," said Keith Hodsden, P.E., Director of Engineering Support and Technical Sales. "It also allows owners of GIS data used primarily for asset management to easily integrate this data into the WaterGEMS model. In the past, it has been costly to extract and convert GIS data to modeling input on a regular basis. Now, all of the data can be stored in one geodatabase for both asset management and modeling purposes. This simplifies data maintenance and integrity checking enormously."

Using ArcObjects, the new ArcGIS(TM) 8 technology foundation from ESRI, Haestad Methods' WaterGEMS capitalizes on the intelligence of the new geodatabase format instead of relying solely on shapefile technology and data exchange methods like other available water models. While WaterGEMS still accommodates shapefiles and ArcInfo(R) coverages, it provides users with the tools to migrate to the modern geodatabase format on their own schedule. Plus users get all of the functionality that comes with ArcGIS 8 including advanced symbology options that turn hydraulic models into powerful visual presentation tools.

Source: Haestad Methods

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