WMS Tutorials Water Distribution System Modeling –EPANET Hydraulic Model

v. 10.1

WMS 10.1 Tutorial

Water Distribution System Modeling – EPANET
Hydraulic Model
Import an existing water distribution model and modify link and node parameters
within WMS

Objectives
View an existing water distribution model within the EPANET interface. Import the model into WMS
and make changes to the link/node properties. Export and run the model to visualize changes in the water
distribution system.

Prerequisite Tutorials Required Components Time

 None  Data  25–30 minutes
 Map
 Hydrology
 Water Distribution

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1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 2
2 Getting Started .................................................................................................................... 2
3 Visualizing the Existing Conditions Model ....................................................................... 3
3.1 Opening and Reviewing the Model Within EPANET .................................................. 3
3.2 Running the Model and Reviewing the Results ........................................................... 5
3.3 Exporting the Pipe Network ......................................................................................... 6
4 Importing the Pipe Network into WMS ............................................................................ 6
4.1 Setting up the Projection .............................................................................................. 6
4.2 Importing the Pipe Network ......................................................................................... 6
5 Background Image .............................................................................................................. 7
5.1 Downloading a Background Image .............................................................................. 7
5.2 Importing a Background Image Without an Internet Connection ................................ 8
6 Making Modifications to the Network............................................................................... 9
6.1 Creating the New Link and Node ................................................................................. 9
6.2 Modifying the New Link and Node ........................................................................... 11
7 Exporting and Running the Modified Network in EPANET ........................................ 11
7.1 Exporting the Modified Network ............................................................................... 12
7.2 Opening the Modified Network in EPANET and Re-running the Model .................. 12
8 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 13

1 Introduction
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed an application called
EPANET to model the hydraulic and water quality behavior of water distribution piping
systems. It is capable of handling models with varying water demands both spatially and
temporally. A single or extended period analysis can be set up and run for a water
distribution network.
For the hydraulic analysis, EPANET will calculate pressures at each node and velocities,
flows, and headloss in each link. Minor losses from fittings and major losses due to
friction are included in the calculations. For the water quality analysis, EPANET
calculates the water quality at each link and node as well as the relative age of the water
in the pipes. Water quality will not be analyzed in the model used for this tutorial.
This tutorial first opens an existing model into the external EPANET application, runs it
to observe the existing conditions solution, and exports the network as an EPANET input
file. It then opens the input file into WMS where the coordinate projection is set and a
base map is downloaded.
Link and node properties will be changed, editing options will be explored and the model
will be exported so it can be imported back into the external EPANET application. In
EPANET, the model will then be run and reviewed.
The model used is from a development near Denver, Colorado. It has several links and
nodes that make up the pipes, valves, junctions, and tank used to build the network. After
some of the parameters in the links and nodes are modified, the model will be run again
to observe the changes in the results.

2 Getting Started
Starting WMS new at the beginning of each tutorial is recommended. This resets the data,
display options, and other WMS settings to their defaults. To do this:

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1. If necessary, launch WMS.

2. If WMS is already running, press Ctrl-N or select File | New… to ensure that the
program settings are restored to their default state.
3. A dialog may appear asking to save changes. Click No to clear all data.
The graphics window of WMS should refresh to show an empty space.

3 Visualizing the Existing Conditions Model

This part of the tutorial will be completed within the public domain EPANET application.
It may be necessary to download it if it is not already installed.1

3.1 Opening and Reviewing the Model Within EPANET

To begin, the existing conditions EPANET model will be opened and viewed.
1. Launch the EPANET application.
2. Select File | Open… to bring up the Open a Project dialog.
3. Select “Network files (*.NET)” from the Files of type drop-down.
4. Browse to the EPANET_Edits\EPANET_Edits\ folder and select
“Water_Dist_CO.NET”.
5. Click Open to import the network file and exit the Open a Project dialog.
The network should appear similar to Figure 1. Notice the water tank at the lower left of
the network. The pump that supplies water to the tank has not been included in this model
since the tank has sufficient water to supply the development for a 24 hour period.

Figure 1 Pipe network

1
It is located in the C:\Program Files (x86)\EPANET\ folder by default. Download and install the
software from https://www.epa.gov/water-research/epanet if needed.

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Throughout the development, nodes have been created at pipe junctions and different
intervals. Water demand has been assigned to the nodes based on the water usage of the
surrounding homes.
6. Select Window | 1 Browser to view the Browser dialog.
The Browser dialog should appear similar to Figure 2.

Figure 2 EPANET Browser dialog Data tab

7. On the Map tab, select “Elevation” from the Nodes drop-down.
A color scheme will be applied to the nodes based on their elevations. Currently they are
all red since the ranges of values are set lower than the elevations found in this
development. These values can be edited.
8. Select View | Legends | Modify | Node to bring up the Legend Editor dialog.
9. From top to bottom in the Elevation fields to the right of the color bar, enter
“6000.0”, “6100.0”, “6200.0”, and “6300.0”.
The Legend Editor dialog should appear as in Figure 3.

Figure 3 EPANET Legend Editor dialog

10. Click OK to close the Legend Editor dialog.
The nodes should appear similar to Figure 4. The junctions range from 5986 – 6244 feet
in elevation.

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Figure 4 Nodes showing elevations

11. In the Browser dialog, select the Data tab, and select “Valves” from the drop
down.
12. Double-click on “V-001” to bring up the Valve V-001 dialog.
The “60” on the Setting line indicated the pressure setting (psi) for the valve. This valve
is located directly downstream from the tank and sets the initial pressure for water
flowing into the development.
13. When done reviewing the property values, click the to close the Valve V-
001 dialog.
14. Repeat steps 12–13 to review the property values for the remaining valves.
These valves divide the development into 3 different pressure zones.

3.2 Running the Model and Reviewing the Results

Now run the model and view the results.
1. Click Run button to bring up the Run Status dialog.
2. When the model has finished running, click OK to close the Run Status dialog.
3. In the Browser dialog, select the Map tab. If the Browser dialog is not visible on
the screen select Window | 1 Browser to bring it up.
4. Select “Pressure” from the Nodes drop-down.
5. Select “Flow” from the Links drop-down.
The model was run for a 24-hour period and model outputs have been computed at each
hour.
6. Observe the flows and pressures over time in the 24 hour solution by advancing
the time steps individually using the right arrow (directly below the Time drop-
down) or by clicking Forward at the bottom of the Map tab.

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More detailed model outputs for individual nodes or links can be extracted using the
Graph and Table tools. For information on using these tools, refer to the
EPANET documentation.2 Feel free to explore these options if desired.

3.3 Exporting the Pipe Network

Now export the network from EPANET to an INP file.
1. Select File | Export | Network… to bring up the Save Network As dialog.
2. Select “Input files (*.INP)” from the Save as type dialog.
3. Enter “Water_Dist_CO.inp” as the File name.
4. Click Save to export the INP file and close the Save Network As dialog.
5. Click at the top right corner of the EPANET application window to close
the application and return to WMS.
6. Click No if asked to save changes in the current project.

4 Importing the Pipe Network into WMS

Next, specify a coordinate projection system in WMS and import the INP file into WMS.

4.1 Setting up the Projection

In WMS, do the following to set up the projection:
1. Select Display | Display Projection… to bring up the Display Projection dialog.
2. In the Horizontal section, select Global Projection and click Set Projection… to
bring up the Select Projection dialog (the dialog may appear automatically).
3. Select “State Plane Coordinate System” from the Projection drop-down.
4. Select “Colorado Central (FIPS 502)” from the Zone drop-down.
5. Select “NAD83” from the Datum drop-down.
6. Select “FEET (U.S. SURVEY)” from the Planar Units drop-down.
7. Click OK to exit the Select Projection dialog.
8. In the Vertical section, select “Feet (U.S. Survey)” from the Units drop-down.
9. Click OK to exit the Display Projection dialog.

4.2 Importing the Pipe Network

1. Switch to the Hydraulic Modeling module.

2. Select “EPANET” from the Model drop-down on the toolbar (Figure 5).

2
See https://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/P1007WWU.pdf.

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Figure 5 Model drop-down

3. Select EPANET | Import EPANET File… to bring up the Select an EPANET
File dialog.
4. Select “EPANET file (*.inp)” from the Files of type drop-down.
5. Browse to the EPANET_Edits\EPANET_Edits\ folder and select
“Water_Dist_CO.inp”.
6. Click Open to import the file and close the Select an EPANET File dialog.
After importing the network, a new coverage will be displayed called “ Water
Distribution [EPANET File]”. Since this model was created with real world coordinates,
this coverage contains the georeferenced geometry of the network. A 1D schematic was
created in the Project Explorer called “ EPANET Schematic”. The schematic (Figure 6)
will contain all of the links and nodes as well as their respective parameters.

Figure 6 Imported EPANET schematic

5 Background Image
The following section requires an internet connection. If no internet connection is
available, skip to section 5.2 to use the previously-downloaded background image
provided with the tutorial files.

5.1 Downloading a Background Image

Projects with georeferenced models can have a background map interactively
downloaded from the web by using the Get Data tool.

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1. Using the Get Data tool, click and drag a selection box around the entire pipe
network to bring up the Data Service Options dialog.
2. Select Web Services and scroll to the right to find and select World Imagery.
3. Click OK to close the Data Service Options dialog and bring up the Save Web
Services Data File(s) dialog.
4. Select “Web Services Files (*.web)” from the Save as type drop-down.
5. Enter “Aerial_CO.web” as the File name and click Save to close the Save Web
Services Data File(s) dialog.
6. Click Yes when asked to “create the following file(s)” to bring up the Image
Pixel Size dialog.
7. Enter “3.0” in the Enter the image pixel size (ft) field.
8. When the download completes, click No if asked to build image pyramids.
The world imagery will now be shown (Figure 7). Feel free to Zoom in to review the
development and the alignment of the pipe network with the streets and easements.

Figure 7 Background image after import

5.2 Importing a Background Image Without an Internet Connection

This section should only be completed if no internet connection is available. If section 5.1
was completed successfully, please skip to section 6.
A background map was previously downloaded and can be imported into the project by
doing the following:
1. Click Open to bring up the Open dialog.
2. Select “All Files (*.*)” from the Files of type drop-down.

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3. Select “Aerial_CO.tif” and click Open to import the background image and exit
the Open dialog.
4. Click No if asked to generate image pyramids.
The world imagery will now be shown (same as in Figure 7). Feel free to Zoom in to
review the development and the alignment of the pipe network with the streets and
easements.

6 Making Modifications to the Network

6.1 Creating the New Link and Node

Now modify the EPANET model by adding a new junction and a new pipe to the
network for a new community clubhouse and by changing the Hazen Williams pipe
roughness coefficient.
1. Switch to the Map module.
2. Click Display Options to bring up the Display Options dialog.
3. Select “River Data” from the list on the left.
4. On the 1-D Hydraulic River tab, turn off River Hydraulic Schematic.
This turns off the display of the links and nodes in the EPANET Schematic.
5. Click OK to exit the Display Options dialog.
6. Zoom in to the community clubhouse area highlighted in Figure 8.

Figure 8 Zoom in to the area around the clubhouse

7. Using the Create Feature Arc tool, create a new arc from the corner node
visible in the street below the clubhouse to the intersection of the road and the
parking lot across the street from the clubhouse (Figure 9).
Ensure that the new arc is connected to the existing network at the node located at the
starting point in Figure 9. This is accomplished when starting the arc by clicking close

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enough to the existing node that the new arc snaps to it. If it is not connected, delete it
and recreate it.

Figure 9 Location of the new pipe to the clubhouse

8. Click Display Options to bring up the Display Options dialog.

9. Select “River Data” from the list on the left.
10. On the 1-D Hydraulic River tab, turn on River Hydraulic Schematic.
This turns on the display of the links and nodes in the EPANET Schematic.
11. Click OK to exit the Display Options dialog.
12. Select Water Distribution | Map → 1D Schematic.
This adds the new link and node to the existing network (Figure 10).

Figure 10 New link and node

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6.2 Modifying the New Link and Node

Now assign the appropriate parameters to the new link and node.
1. Switch to the Hydraulic Modeling module.
2. Select EPANET | Edit Parameters… to bring up the Hydraulic Properties
dialog.
3. Select “Link” from the Attribute type drop-down.
4. Select “All” from the Show drop-down.
5. Select “Name” from the Sort based on drop-down.
The sort tool allows the data to be sorted based on any of the parameter columns. This
makes it easier to navigate through the list of link parameters, especially if there are a
large number of them.
6. On the Link 30 row, enter:
 “P-121” in the Name column (replacing “Link 30”).
 “12.0” in the Diameter/Height column.
 “Residential” in the Tag column.
7. On the All row (the one highlighted in yellow), enter “130.0” in the Roughness
column.
This changes the Hazen Williams roughness coefficient for all of the pipe links in the
project.
8. Select “Nodes” from the Attribute type drop-down.
9. Select “Name” from the Sort based on drop-down.
10. On the Node 30 row:
 Enter “JN-119” in the Name column (replacing “Node 30”).
 Enter “5987.54” in the Elevation/Head column.
 Enter “3.1” in the Base Demand column.
 Select “Residential Usage” from the drop-down in the Demand Pattern
column.
 Enter “Residential” in the Tag column.
11. Make sure all of the Nodes have “Residential_Usage” selected from the drop-
down in the Demand Pattern column.
12. Click OK to exit the Hydraulic Properties dialog.

7 Exporting and Running the Modified Network in EPANET

Now that all of the modifications have been made to the pipe link network, it needs to be
exported to a format readable by the external EPANET application. The project should
then be saved.

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7.1 Exporting the Modified Network

Now that the network has been modified in WMS, export it to run in the external
EPANET application.
1. Select EPANET | Export EPANET File… to bring up the Select an EPANET
File dialog.
2. Select “EPANET file (*.inp)” from the Save as type drop-down.
3. Enter “Water_Dist_CO_Modified.inp” as the File name and click Save to export
the INP file and close the Select an EPANET File dialog.
The pipe link network has now been exported with all the changes made in this tutorial.
Before switching to the external EPANET application, save the WMS project.
4. Select File | Save to bring up the Save As dialog.
5. Select “WMS XMDF Project File (*.wms)” from the Save as type drop-down.
6. Enter “Colorado_Network.wms” as the File name and click Save to save the
project under the new name and close the Save As dialog.
7. Click No if asked to save the image files in the project directory.
8. Close WMS by clicking the in the top right corner of the WMS window.

7.2 Opening the Modified Network in EPANET and Re-running the Model
1. Open the external EPANET application.
2. Click Open to bring up the Open a Project dialog.
3. Select “Input file (*.INP)” from the Files of type drop-down.
4. Select “Water_Dist_CO_Modified.inp” and click Open to import the input file
and exit the Open a Project dialog.
The project should appear similar to Figure 11.

Figure 11 Imported modified network

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5. Using the Select Object tool, double-click on the new link to bring up the Pipe
P-121 dialog.
This dialog allows the various property values of the link to be reviewed.
6. Click the in the top right corner to close the Pipe P-121 dialog.
7. Repeat steps 5–6 as desired for any other links and nodes.
Notice that the Roughness values have changed for all of the links.
8. Click Run to bring up the Run Status dialog.
9. When the run completes, click OK to close the Run Status dialog.
10. In the Browser dialog, on the Map tab, select “Pressure” from the Nodes drop-
down and “Flow” from the Links drop-down.
This allows visualization of the computed pressures and flows.
11. Observe the flows and pressures over time in the solution by advancing the time
steps individually using the right arrow (directly below the Time drop-down)
or by clicking Forward at the bottom of the Map tab.
12. Open the original model (“Water_Dist_CO.inp”) in another instance of EPANET
for a side-by-side comparison.
More detailed model outputs for individual nodes or links can be extracted using the
Graph and Table tools. For information on using these tools, refer to the
EPANET documentation.3

8 Conclusion
This concludes the “Water Distribution System Modeling – EPANET Hydraulic Model”
tutorial. The following key concepts were discussed and demonstrated:
 Opening an existing model in the EPANET interface and running it to observe
the existing conditions solution
 Exporting the network as an EPANET input file (*.inp)
 Opening the existing model input file in WMS
 Setting the coordinate projection
 Downloading a basemap
 Making changes to link and node properties
 Exploring editing options
 Exporting the modified model and opening it within the EPANET interface
 Running and viewing the modified EPANET model

3
See https://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/P1007WWU.pdf.

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