What is the difference between WaterCAD and WaterGEMS?

Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD
Version(s): 08.11.XX.XX and higher

Problem

What is the difference between WaterCAD and WaterGEMS?

Solution

WaterGEMS is a superset of WaterCAD, so you will get everything you have in WaterCAD plus more with WaterGEMS. For basic modeling needs such as small developments, automated fireflow and flushing studies, WaterCAD will have everything you need. If you need to work on larger and more advanced models and need to perform automated design, automated calibration, pump scheduling, pipe renewal planning or skeletonization (simplification) or if you want to work inside the ArcGIS environment, you will need WaterGEMS.

Model files use the same file format so files saved in the same version can be opened between both products (if the model was saved in a version less than or equal to the version of the product you're opening it with.) The user interface is identical with the exception of the tools that are not available in WaterCAD.

There are two main differences between WaterCAD and WaterGEMS:

Six additional modules are available in WaterGEMS

The following advanced modules are available in WaterGEMS but not in WaterCAD.

As of December, 2018 (starting with version 10.02.00.43) the related menu items/buttons for these extra modules are not available within WaterCAD's user interface, with the exception of Darwin Calibrator and Darwin Designer which are available to support those who bought separate licenses for these modules when they were available for separate purchase. If you only have a license for WaterCAD and had not purchased a separate Calibrator or Designer license in the past, you will only be able to perform Manual runs (not optimized runs). You would need to upgrade to WaterGEMS (which can open WaterCAD models) to use optimized runs in Calibrator and Designer. A manual run in Calibrator for example will still be able to compare model results to field measurements, but the adjustment of model parameters is done manually through guess work and trial-and-error (ex: multiply roughness for a large group of pipes by 1.2 and see if that gets results closer) instead of via the Genetic algorithm available in WaterGEMS. The benefit of automated calibration and design in WaterGEMS is that a genetic algorithm adjusts model parameters for you until the results match more closely to the field measurements or design parameters, which often results in much faster calibrator and design.

1)  Pipe Renewal Planner


Asset management tool that ranks pipes based on performance aspects (pipe capacity, pipe break history, and critical pipe segments) and optionally, property aspects (material, location, year installed, etc...) to choose which pipes are the most critical to monitor for repairs. The results from pipe renewal planner can be used in finalizing your capital/master plan. 

2)  Darwin Designer

Enter your hydraulic constraints, allowable pipe sizes, and associated unit costs and run automatic or manual designs. With the automatic design, the genetic algorithm methodology will evaluate hundreds of thousands of design and rehabilitation strategies based on any of these three objectives: cost minimization, maximizing benefits, or multi-objective. The automated design feature in Calibrator (using the genetic algorithm) is only available with WaterGEMS - in WaterCAD, you would need to use the manual run, where you will still be able to compare model results to design parameters, but the adjustment of model parameters is done manually through guess work and trial-and-error (ex: try 8 inch diameter for a large group of pipes and see if that gets results closer) Therefore if you are interested in performing optimized design studies, WaterGEMS would be a better choice.

3)  Darwin Calibrator

Find optimal values for any combination of the model parameters such as pipe roughness, junction demands, and link operational status, that best match the real-life situation in your hydraulic system. Darwin Calibrator is effective at predicting the most likely areas of hidden leakage hotspots by employing a powerful genetic algorithm optimization technology. The automated calibration feature in Calibrator (using the genetic algorithm) is only available with WaterGEMS - in WaterCAD you will still be able to compare model results to field measurements, but the adjustment of model parameters is done manually through guess work and trial-and-error (ex: multiply roughness for a large group of pipes by 1.2 and see if that gets results closer) instead of via the Genetic algorithm available in WaterGEMS. The benefit of automated calibration and design in WaterGEMS is that a genetic algorithm adjusts model parameters for you until the results match more closely to the field measurements or design parameters, which often results in much faster calibrator and design. Therefore if you are interested in calibrating your hydraulic model, WaterGEMS would be a better choice.

*The leakage detection feature won the IWA Project Innovation Award in 2008

4)  Darwin Scheduler


Find optimal pump operations for fixed or variable speed pumps, optimize your pumps to reduce energy used in the system, and/or reduce the cost of operations of the pumps in the system. This feature is only available in WaterGEMS so if you are interested in optimized pump scheduling studies, WaterGEMS would be the best choice.

5)  Skelebrator


Skelebrator automatically removes network complexity while maintaining connectivity, hydraulic equivalence, and reallocating assigned demands to your chosen specification. If you need to work on a large model and simplify it, you will need to use WaterGEMS to access this feature.

6)  SCADAConnect

 

Connect your SCADA data directly to your model to easily calibrate an unlimited number of  signals  based upon real world conditions, apply initial real world conditions, or compute demands based upon SCADA measured flow rates. This feature is only available in WaterGEMS so if you need to perform calibration studies or otherwise see SCADA measurements in your model alongside model results, you will need to use WaterGEMS.


Four Different Platforms

Summary: if you need to work on hydraulic models within the ArcGIS environment, you will need WaterGEMS.

WaterGEMS

Includes a Standalone version plus the ability to integrate with three platforms: MicroStation, AutoCAD, and ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro).


With ArcGIS integration you have the ability to leverage ArcGIS capabilities. WaterGEMS provides full geodatabase integration, so you can create, display, edit, run, map, and analyze hydraulic models from a geospatial environment. Unlike competing solutions, WaterGEMS and WaterCAD shares the same file type across all the available environments (ArcGIS, AutoCAD, MicroStation, & Standalone).This allows the user to easily collaborate with contractors, clients, or colleagues, who can work with the model on their preferable platform and send it back to you to work on in your preferable platform. For example, they will be able to work with the ArcMap platform and send the model back to you with no import, conversion, or loss of information in any way and you could work with the model in Standalone, MicroStation, or AutoCAD platform.

WaterCAD

 

WaterCAD can be purchased as a Standalone application where you get the Standalone version and  ability to integrate with MicroStation. It can also be purchased with the ability to integrate with the AutoCAD platform where you get the StandAlone, Microstation, and AutoCAD versions at additional cost. 

WaterCAD cannot be integrated with ArcGIS and doesn't have the ability to use the six tools mentioned above. Beyond this, equal versions of  WaterCAD (i.e. 10.02.00.43) and WaterGEMS (i.e. 10.02.00.43) are identical.

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