Beyond Deterministic Hydraulics: Introducing the EPANET-GoldSim Bridge

The EPANET-GoldSim Bridge is now available, offering a simple way to leverage GoldSim’s simulation capabilities for water distribution system analysis. This Windows DLL enables users to embed an EPANET hydraulic engine directly within a GoldSim model, bridging the gap between standard hydraulic modeling and probabilistic systems simulation. By integrating these two platforms, organizations can move beyond single-scenario analysis to truly quantify risk and reliability across their networks.

Why Connect Them?

While EPANET is the industry standard for hydraulics, it's typically used for deterministic analysis. Integrating it with GoldSim allows you to:

• Quantify Uncertainty: Run thousands of realizations to see how demand fluctuations or equipment failures impact system pressures.
• Test Complex Logic: Use GoldSim's control elements to drive pump speeds, valve settings, and demands at every timestep.
• Track Performance: Monitor hydraulic head, flow, and even real-time pump power/efficiency to calculate operating costs.

Screenshot of the GoldSim model interface with the EPANET element

River Network Optimization using GoldSim - Python Integration

In this post, I'll explore a use case for the GSPy bridge: dynamically solving a complex river allocation problem using Python's PuLP Linear Programming (LP) library at every timestep of a GoldSim simulation.

The challenge of simulating a river network with sequential diversions, return flows, and competing demands governed by priorities is non-trivial. By moving the allocation decision to an external optimizer, we can achieve optimal water delivery in a way that is challenging to replicate with explicit rules-based logic.