Streamlining Operations: GIS as the One-Stop Shop for Small Water Utilities

Water utilities are constantly juggling the management of their physical and digital infrastructure. With a myriad of assets ranging from pump stations and storage tanks to valves, hydrants, and pipes, proactive management of these assets can seem insurmountable for operators, particularly those overseeing small to medium-sized systems with limited resources. For staff managing these utilities alone or with minimal assistance, keeping track of numerous assets can feel overwhelming, especially without access to a robust asset management software that offers features such as smart data entry, analytics, and customization. 

Recognizing the need for a comprehensive solution at an affordable price, many water operators in small utility systems are turning to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS not only enables operators to pinpoint assets using GPS coordinates and photos, but also facilitates streamlined recording of operation, maintenance, and inspection records. This data can be easily accessed and analyzed through a real-time asset management dashboard. Therefore, GIS emerges as an indispensable “one-stop shop” for small water utilities, addressing their needs for accurate asset location, asset management, and operational efficiency. Small water systems typically rely on multiple software applications for efficient day-to-day operations of water treatment and distribution. Navigating through these various applications can be challenging for operators, particularly when managing other essential maintenance tasks. For instance, a water system may utilize computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software for meter billing and customer data management, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for monitoring treatment-related assets such as tank levels, chemical levels, and pump performances, as well as software for leak detection or material identification. Given this complexity, it becomes crucial to consolidate distribution-related recordkeeping and asset locating using GIS as a primary software system. This eliminates the need for multiple individual software applications for each specific use, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.  

GIS can handle complex calculations, such as logging critical data during hydrant flushing operations, estimating the water loss during a main break, or recording historical data in a valve exercising program. Moreover, GIS enables visualization and analysis of data from these operations and maintenance activities through various web mapping applications and dashboards. This capability empowers operators to make informed decisions and optimize their system’s performance. Another significant benefit of GIS is its capability to serve as a central repository for various existing data sources. Whether it is as-built engineer records, curb stop tie cards, asset management records, scanned work orders, or other pertinent information, GIS can consolidate this information into one unified location known as a geodatabase. This geodatabase can then be integrated into online web-based GIS layers, offering a digital representation of each asset on the map. These layers include tabular descriptions, tables, attachments, and photos, providing a comprehensive and easily accessible database for efficient data management. The versatility of GIS software makes it ideal for small water systems, eliminating the need to purchase separate software for each individual operations and maintenance task. GIS can be recognized as the “last stop” in a water operator’s journey to managing their physical and digital infrastructures.  

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 1 23 – 25 grant.