HDR's Water Business Group to Conduct Two Research Studies for Water Research Foundation

(OMAHA, Neb., August 27, 2010)—HDR’s Water Business Group has been selected by the Water Research Foundation to conduct two separate research studies.

HDR, in association with American Water, was selected by the foundation and its funding partner, the United Kingdom Drinking Water Inspectorate, to conduct a research study to identify best practices for water utilities to manage public health risks associated with water main breaks and depressurization events. In the other study, HDR will work with 12 utilities to investigate manganese accumulation in distribution systems.

Water main breaks and depressurization events occur hundreds of times each day in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The purpose of this project is to improve utility responses to main breaks and depressurization events to better protect public health. The HDR team includes about 30 water utility operations located throughout the United States and the U.K. that will participate in and support this study, which is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2010 and conclude in the summer of 2013.

The research team investigating manganese will assess the economic and non-economic consequences of manganese accumulation in distribution systems on drinking water systems around the United States.

While accumulated manganese in drinking water distribution systems does not pose a health risk to consumers, it can cause discolored water, which erodes consumer confidence in the quality of the water they receive.  Through interviews and case studies with participating utilities, the research team will gather utility data to improve industry understanding of the costs and effectiveness of various prevention and remediation strategies.

The HDR team for this study includes a variety of researchers, technical advisors and utilities. The report will be completed in the fall of 2012.

HDR is an employee-owned architecture, engineering and consulting firm with more than 7,800 professionals in more than 185 locations worldwide. All of them are committed to helping clients manage complex projects and make sound decisions. HDR is ranked No. 11 overall in the 2010 Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms survey and No. 7 in Water.  

Learn more at hdrinc.com.