Supporting the design and management of firefighting services

Potable Water PFI Modelling

South East Water (SEW) maintains an online pressure and flow information (PFI) web portal for single-tapping fire service connections—the hydraulic information underpinning the web portal is sourced from SEW’s water supply models. This information is used to support the design and construction of residential and commercial property as well as the management of firefighting services. Our team was commissioned by SEW in 2018 to update both the water supply models and online PFI portal.

To develop a robust product, we undertook a comprehensive review of current PFI modelling methodologies. This included a best practice review incorporating other Victorian water authorities. Subsequently, new hydraulic models were built using Innovyze’s InfoWorks WS Pro modelling software. Our i2i team were engaged to undertake data management requirements and integrate model results with a purpose-built PFI database. This process allows efficient management and direction of relevant information to SEW’s web portal, providing updated PFI information to customers.

Now complete, the web portal offers an improved customer interface. With a collaborative approach, our team thought beyond the hydraulic model to find a solution that works best for our client and aligns with the requirements of Australia’s fire code.