InfoWater Pro Water Distribution Model Calibration Training Course

Course overview

Water utilities and project teams rely on distribution models to justify pressure-zone upgrades, leakage investigations, pump operating changes, fire-flow capacity, and capital investment. A model that has not been calibrated against field evidence can produce misleading pressures, flows, tank levels, and energy results. This course equips participants to turn an existing InfoWater Pro model into a defensible operational and planning asset by systematically comparing model outputs with SCADA, logger, meter, and field-test data.

Participants work through the full calibration workflow in InfoWater Pro: reviewing network connectivity and asset attributes; establishing calibration objectives; preparing demand, pressure, flow, tank-level, pump, and valve datasets; defining representative demand conditions; and isolating sources of error. They learn to use scenarios, run extended-period simulations, assess pressure and flow residuals, adjust demand allocations and roughness assumptions, represent control valves and pump curves, and document calibration decisions. The course also addresses uncertainty, data-quality limits, and acceptance criteria appropriate to water distribution studies.

Instruction combines guided demonstrations with hands-on model-building and troubleshooting using a realistic water utility case. Participants create a calibration plan, configure model scenarios, import and compare monitoring data, diagnose mismatches, apply justified parameter changes, and test the calibrated model under alternative operating conditions. Each participant leaves with a completed calibration workbook and model documentation pack containing data checks, residual plots, assumptions, adjustment logs, validation results, and a prioritised field-data collection plan.

The course is designed for experienced water distribution modellers, network planners, hydraulic engineers, and utility operations staff who need to improve confidence in InfoWater Pro results before using them for operational decisions, master planning, pressure management, or rehabilitation programmes.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Audit InfoWater Pro network topology, asset attributes, connectivity, and boundary conditions before calibration.
• Develop a calibration plan that defines objectives, monitoring locations, datasets, tolerances, and acceptance criteria.
• Prepare SCADA, pressure logger, flow meter, tank-level, and customer-demand data for comparison with model results.
• Configure InfoWater Pro scenarios and extended-period simulations for representative low-, average-, and peak-demand conditions.
• Calculate and interpret pressure, flow, and tank-level residuals using field-versus-model comparison tables and plots.
• Adjust demand allocation, pipe roughness, valve settings, pump curves, and controls using documented engineering evidence.
• Validate a calibrated model against independent monitoring periods and alternative operating conditions.
• Produce a model calibration report, parameter-change log, residual summary, and field-data improvement plan.

Benefits of attending

Target competencies

Who should attend

• Water Distribution Modellers — who must produce defensible hydraulic results for planning and operational studies
• Network Planning Engineers — who use model outputs to prioritise reinforcement, rehabilitation, and pressure-zone investments
• Hydraulic Engineers — who need to reconcile simulated pressures and flows with field measurements
• Water Utility Operations Engineers — who assess pump, valve, reservoir, and pressure-management operating strategies
• Leakage and Pressure Management Specialists — who require a calibrated network baseline for intervention analysis
• Consulting Engineers — who deliver model calibration evidence and technical reports to utility clients

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should already understand water distribution hydraulics, including continuity, headloss, pressure zones, reservoirs, pumps, control valves, demand patterns, and extended-period simulation. Practical experience opening, navigating, and running an existing InfoWater Pro model is expected; participants should be able to inspect pipes, junctions, facilities, demands, and scenarios. Familiarity with ArcGIS Pro layers and basic spreadsheet data handling is helpful. This is not a beginner hydraulic-modelling course and does not teach GIS fundamentals or pipe-network design from first principles. Coding, database administration, and prior calibration experience are not required.

Training methodology

The five-day programme uses instructor-led hydraulic modelling sessions, live InfoWater Pro demonstrations, and guided work on a realistic utility distribution model. Participants inspect GIS-linked assets, construct calibration scenarios, prepare monitoring datasets, and run extended-period simulations at individual workstations. Short case discussions focus on common causes of mismatch, including closed valves, incorrect pump controls, demand errors, and poor logger data. Teams review calibration choices and challenge assumptions before each participant completes an end-of-course calibration workbook and application plan for a live model.

Course outline

Day 1: Calibration foundations and model readiness

• Calibration purpose, scope, and decision-use requirements
• InfoWater Pro project structure, scenarios, and model alternatives
• ArcGIS Pro feature layers and hydraulic network connectivity checks
• Junction, pipe, reservoir, tank, pump, and valve attribute review
• Boundary conditions and pressure-zone definition
• Model-data inventory for assets, demands, operations, and monitoring
• Calibration objectives, tolerances, and acceptance criteria

Workshop: Participants audit a supplied InfoWater Pro model and produce a model-readiness checklist identifying topology, attribute, and boundary-condition issues.

Day 2: Field data and demand representation

• SCADA, telemetry, pressure logger, and flow meter data structures
• Time alignment, units conversion, missing-data treatment, and outlier screening
• Selecting representative calibration dates and operating periods
• Demand categories, spatial allocation, and demand-pattern development
• Metered-area balances and supply-point flow reconciliation
• Diurnal demand patterns and extended-period simulation timesteps
• Field monitoring plans for pressure, flow, tank level, and valve status

Workshop: Participants prepare a calibration dataset from raw monitoring exports and produce a demand-pattern and monitoring-location plan.

Day 3: Running simulations and measuring mismatch

• InfoWater Pro extended-period simulation setup
• Initial conditions for tanks, reservoirs, pumps, and controls
• Pump curves, speed settings, duty points, and operating schedules
• Pressure-reducing valves, flow-control valves, and status assumptions
• Model-versus-field pressure comparison at logger locations
• Flow, tank-level, and source-balance residual calculations
• Residual plots, summary tables, and spatial mismatch mapping

Workshop: Participants run a 24-hour calibration scenario and produce a residual dashboard for monitored pressures, flows, and tank levels.

Day 4: Parameter adjustment and diagnostic calibration

• Error hierarchy: data, topology, demand, roughness, and operations
• Demand multiplier adjustment by pressure zone and customer category
• Hazen-Williams roughness assumptions and pipe-condition evidence
• Representing closed valves, throttled valves, bypasses, and unknown statuses
• Pump-control logic, tank controls, and operational rule troubleshooting
• Scenario-based sensitivity testing and parameter-change discipline
• Avoiding overfitting and preserving physically credible model behaviour

Workshop: Participants diagnose mismatches in a faulty model, apply evidence-based adjustments, and complete a parameter-change log with rationale.

Day 5: Validation, reporting, and operational use

• Independent-period validation and holdout monitoring data
• Calibration performance review against agreed tolerances
• Low-demand, peak-demand, and altered-operating-condition validation
• Uncertainty statements and limitations of calibrated results
• Calibration report structure, figures, tables, and audit trail
• Prioritising additional meter, logger, asset, and operational data
• Using calibrated scenarios for planning and operational studies

Workshop: Participants validate their calibrated scenario against an independent dataset and produce a calibration report outline, residual summary, and 90-day data-improvement plan.

Tools & standards covered

Autodesk InfoWater Pro, Esri ArcGIS Pro, EPA EPANET 2.2, AWWA M32 Distribution Network Analysis

A typical training day

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in the East Africa Time zone, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

How you can take this course

Certification

Participants who complete the full five days receive the Skillset Development Certificate of Completion, stating the course title, course code, dates and delivery format — suitable for professional-development records and employer reimbursement.

Frequently asked questions