COST 624 Workshop, Tomar, 3-6 October 1999

WG2 – Integrated modeling

Minutes of the meeting

Compiled by Maria Almeida and Wolfgang Rauch

The primary task of this workshop was to discuss the general objectives of the working group
2 and to agree upon a specific program for a the next 2 years. With respect to the future
program, emphasis was given to identify the topics to be covered in the next four working
group meetings.

In more detail, the meeting in Tomar was started by a presentation of the present and
proposed group activities (see also mission statement of the group):

• International postgraduate course on Integrated Urban Water Systems

• Integrated modelling-status/problems/topics
• Interurba II conference in Lissabon - information and possible involvement of WG2
• Upcoming activities in integrated modelling in the IWA/IAHR Joint Committee on urban
drainage - link to COST

These presentations have been followed by 2 brainstorming sessions where first all topics
relevant to be addressed by the WG2 have been discussed. In those sessions it was found that
the aspects can – in principle – be divided in two groups, that is technical aspects and
management aspects, as follows:

Topics related to technical aspects

1) Identification of significant cause and effect relations in the total system. Presently these
relations are seen only from the point of view of individual subsystems with information
passed between the systems.
2) Compatibility of variables and processes. There are still many problems at the interfaces.
3) Following upon previously identified problems in modeling: Parameter identification /
uncertainty / experimental design etc.
4) Common data file format as described in the initial WG2 statement. A common software
platform was proposed as well.
5) Aspects discussed in WG1 are of interest also for WG2. Collaboration on these aspects
(mostly software) was proposed.
6) The effect of urban drainage to Groundwater is important. Hence groundwater should be
added to the system.

Topics related to management aspects

1) The complexity of models should be consistent.
2) Case study needed for testing models and methodology.
3) Research versus ecology and regulations
4) EU application (proposal)
5) Sustainability / need of models / type of models
6) Methodology for modeling
7) Regional planning
8) “Integration” as integrating relevant processes
9) “Waste City” as educational computer game

Under item No 4 the possibility of preparing a proposal for submission to the 5th Framework
Program was discussed. In his keynote lecture Mr. Tilche did some additional explanations,
such as “social-economic relevance of the proposals is interpreted as the applicability of
expected research results and as an engine for development”. Consequently research
supported by the program should consider users needs and be translated into innovation.
There is a need to develop a better relationship between practitioners and research activity.
Furthermore the interpretation of regulations by end-users has to be clearly understood by
researchers.

Within COST the need of a closer collaboration with the other working groups was
emphasised. Also the need for creation of a 6th working group to look at the new paradigm in
the management of wastewater systems was questioned.

Based on the result of these brainstorming sessions the following 4 working group meetings
were proposed and later also approved from the MC.

WG2: next meetings

1) SPRING 2000 Meeting

Subject: Course on Integrated Urban water systems
Location: Czech Republic
Local organisers: O. Benes
Scientific organiser: Wolfgang Rauch / Peter Krebs
Goal: Discuss the status of the course – especially the written text material and try to
make it coherent. Further, the teaching material will – in some parts - be tested on the
participants of the meeting, in order to identify bottlenecks and difficulties.

2) FALL 2000 Meeting

Subject: Urban water management: Identification of needs and objectives
Location: United Kingdom
Local organisers: Edmund Bramsley
Scientific organiser: Edmund Bramsley / Manfred Schütze

Goal: To identify the needs and objectives of the different users within the field. A great
variety is to be expected. This investigation should form the basis for the further work of
the WG. The aim is to have representatives of different users as follows:
Active Pro-active Passive
“Manager” “Regulator” “Old lady”
“Researcher” “NGO” “Us”

The optimal outcome of the meeting would be a specific list of problems that the end-
users would like research and science to tackle.
3) SPRING 2001 Meeting
Subject: INTERURBA: Criticism to needs and objectives identified
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Local organisers: Maria Almeida
Scientific organiser: Richard Ashley

Goal: To present to the end-users what research and science can offer with respect to
tools and methodologies in order to solve the problems identified. This is to be seen as
the response to the list of problems identified in the earlier WG-meeting. The meeting is
to be held just after the Interurba conference in Lissabon. The reason being that the WG
participants should prepare a mission statement in advance that will be presented at this
conference. In the meeting itself the response of the scientific community to this
statement will be discussed.

4) FALL 2001 Meeting (Possible a joint meeting with WG 1)

Subject: Course review / software
Location: Gent
Local organisers: Peter Vanrolleghem
Scientific organiser: Wolfgang Schilling

Goal: To review the latest experiences with the course, especially in the light of the fact
that the course will be implemented in NTU Trondheim at this time and ample experience
should be available. A second task of this meeting is the discussion on software for
teaching and research purpose. Possibilities to create a standard format for software
products (describing processes within urban drainage) will be discussed – possibly
together with working group No 1.