Robert Best is an Environmental Engineering Master's Candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His research, funded by the Aquarion Water Company (AWC) is focused on computer modeling of water distribution systems. Rob received his Bachelor's of Science for Civil Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in May, 2002. While an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts, Rob worked on several Honors research projects in the areas of Engineering Economics and Transportation Engineering. During summer and winter breaks, Rob interned at Thompson Consultants, Inc. (TCI) at their office in Marion, MA in their Plumbing and Fire Protection Department. Some of his duties included field site visits as well as being in charge of several small design projects for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Elliot Hospital, Cape Cod Hospital, and several schools and universities.
Water Distribution System Modeling: Hydraulics and Water Quality
Robert Best's current research is on computer modeling of water distribution systems (WDS), specifically using the case study of the Aquarion Water Company (AWC) in Stamford, CT. Field studies were conducted during three different events between 2002 and 2003. The objectives of his research is to (1) gain a better understanding of water quality (WQ) in the WDS; (2) identify locations for monitoring under the future Stage II DBP rule; and (3) to consider the water age and [Cl 2 ] prediction from the model in confirming and/or altering locations of future DBP monitoring sites. Field studies coinciding with the modeling were conducted during three different events between 2002 and 2003. These field studies included a step down fluoride tracer study and a chlorine decay jar test. Rob's presentation will present the use of computer modeling for both general and regulatory monitoring of WDSs.