Placing Sensors in Sewer Networks: A System to Pinpoint New Cases of Coronavirus

35 Pages Posted: 8 Dec 2020

See all articles by Mehdi Nourinejad

Mehdi Nourinejad

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management; York University

Oded Berman

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management

Richard C. Larson

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Date Written: December 1, 2020

Abstract

We consider a proposed system that would place sensors in a number of wastewater manholes in a community in order to detect genetic remnants of SARS-Cov-2 found in the excreted stool of infected persons. These sensors would continually monitor the manhole’s wastewater, and whenever virus remnants are detected, transmit an alert signal. In a recent paper, we described two new algorithms, each sequentially opening and testing successive manholes for genetic remnants, each algorithm homing in on a neighborhood where the infected person or persons are located. This paper extends that work in six important ways: (1) we introduce the concept of in-manhole sensors, as these sensors will reduce the number of manholes requiring human testing; (2) we present a realistic tree network depicting the topology of the sewer pipeline network; (3) for simulations, we present a method to create random tree networks exhibiting key attributes of a given community; (4) using the simulations, we empirically demonstrate that the mean and median number of manholes to be opened in a search follows a well-known logarithmic function; (5) we develop procedures for determining the number of sensors to deploy; (6) we formulate the sensor location problem as an integer nonlinear optimization and develop heuristics to solve it.

Our sensor-manhole system, to be implemented, would require at least three additional steps in R&D: (a) an accurate, inexpensive and fast genetic-remnants test that can be done at the manhole; (b) design, test and manufacture of the sensors; (c) in-the-field testing and fine tuning of an implemented system.

Suggested Citation

Nourinejad, Mehdi and Berman, Oded and Larson, Richard C., Placing Sensors in Sewer Networks: A System to Pinpoint New Cases of Coronavirus (December 1, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3744179 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3744179

Mehdi Nourinejad (Contact Author)

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management ( email )

105 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6 M5S1S4
Canada

York University ( email )

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada

Oded Berman

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management ( email )

105 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6 M5S1S4
Canada

Richard C. Larson

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ( email )

Cambridge, MA 02139
United States
617-253-3604 (Phone)

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