Important engineering decisions are made every day regarding sanitary sewer, combined sewer and storm sewer systems, and they often require the use of rainfall data. Although these decisions involve significant capital investment and expenditures to protect public health and the environment, the integrity of the rainfall measurements that support them is often overlooked. Kevin Enfinger, P.E., has examined guidance from a variety of professional organizations in engineering, water resources and meteorological fields and has consolidated his findings into a concise, flexible approach to obtain appropriate rainfall data to support sound engineering evaluations and decisions related to the urban sewer environment. This approach will be discussed in a two-part series.
Part 2: Successful Deployment, Operation and Maintenance
Once a suitable rainfall monitor density has been selected and preliminary locations have been proposed, final locations are selected to provide the best possible rainfall measurements. Siting guidelines that provide the most accurate results are discussed, as well as competing concerns such as site access and security. Once properly sited and installed, rainfall monitors cannot be forgotten; they should be serviced periodically to ensure proper operation. Inadequate or insufficient operation and maintenance can adversely affect the accuracy or availability of rainfall measurements. Common O&M problems associated with rainfall monitors often originate from environmental factors or equipment problems. Best management practices and practical advice are provided to support successful rainfall monitoring.
Kevin Enfinger, P.E., is a product manager at ADS Environmental Services with 25 years’ experience in environmental engineering and consulting. He has worked as a project manager, project engineer, region engineer and product manager at ADS. Enfinger is a registered professional engineer in six states and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Water Environment Federation. He has authored numerous technical papers and given various presentations through these organizations to advance the science of wastewater collections systems evaluation.
