Difference between CivilStorm and SewerGEMS


Product(s):CivilStorm, SewerGEMS,
Version(s):08.11.03.77 and higher
Area: General

Problem

What is the difference between CivilStorm and SewerGEMS? (CivilStorm vs. SewerGEMS)

Are there things that can only be done in one and not the other?

Solution

As of October 2023 and for versions 08.11.03.77 and higher, all of the capabilities of CivilStorm are included with SewerGEMS. SewerGEMS includes the following additional functionality which is not available in CivilStorm:

  1. Integration with ArcGIS (note that there is GIS functionality in the Standalone version including background layers and the ability to export to Shapefile format.)
  2. Sanitary Loading, including patterns and allocation by way of the Thiessen Polygon and Loadbuilder tools.
  3. The ability to use the GVF-Convex numerical solver (the solver used in Bentley SewerCAD), which opens up additional functionality such as combination pump curve analysis, more complex pump modeling, Extreme Flow Factors, etc. See more about this in the below article.

Model files are compatible between CivilStorm and SewerGEMS. That is, a model saved in CivilStorm can be opened in SewerGEMS and vice-versa, as long as the version you are opening is greater than or equal to the version that the model was saved in.

See the product pages for more:

See Also

Differences between solvers: GVF-Convex vs. GVF-Rational vs. Implicit vs. Explicit (SWMM)