Hydraulic computer models are an essential part of a city's water policy. They allow the size of floods to be estimated and “what-if scenarios” to be investigated. In addition, they also determine the dimensions of the water infrastructure in a detailed design.

The city of Antwerp and water-link in collaboration with Aquafin has very detailed hydraulic models for almost its entire territory. In these detailed models, every sewer pipe and every manhole is included in detail. Building, adapting and using such a model requires a lot of expertise and a lot of time.

Such a high level of detail is useful for an implementation design, but for many other applications within the city this approach is inefficient and very time-consuming. Calculations regarding the required space for water are too often postponed and are therefore often discussed too late in a planning and design process. Moreover, these models also lack a link to decisions regarding other above-ground and underground infrastructure. Without that spatial reality, the model cannot be used by planners and designers.

That is why the city of Antwerp, together with Aquafin, wishes to draw up a conceptual hydraulic model for the city. The water infrastructure is simplified to its essence. Such a model is faster and therefore easier to handle, and takes the spatial component into account. Planners and designers will therefore be able to check a number of things hydraulically more quickly. Water is thus included in every planning and design process from the start.