CMMS/GIS
Taking the Worry Out of Water-Sewer-Storm Operations
by M. K. Vander Werff
Ms. Vander Werff has reported on business, economic, and technology issues for Nation’s Business, Entrepreneur, and a variety of trade journals.
E
ach morning, millions of Americans turn the knob on the sink. Water flows. We brush. Flush. Shower. Shave. And for those of us not involved in the water, sewer, or stormwater industries (and not the unlucky recipient of recent floods), chances are we don’t bat an eye at the luxury of clean, abundant water from the tap. Odds are we don’t give a second thought to water flowing unencumbered down our drains. But those who are involved in water-sewer-storm operations know the value of every potable drop, every unfettered flush. It’s their job to worry about what most Americans take for granted. Geographic information system (GIS) technology is removing some of that worry while setting new standards for maintenance and customer service operations. And there are other benefits: For the Kenton County Water Service District, it also means making the merger with a neighboring water utility a smooth one. For Tennessee’s Nashville Metro Water Services, it means helping pinpoint and prevent water loss. For the cities of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Greensboro, North Carolina, it means meeting — or exceeding — a federal stormwater mandate. And while a GIS is nothing new, maximizing GIS benefits is uncharted territory into which these communities — and many others nationwide — are just now venturing forth. “In the early years of geographic information system technology, just getting a basic GIS was the priority for many communities, never mind the uses beyond simple inventorying and mapping functions. But today, municipalities’ needs are more complex, and GIS uses span a broader spectrum. Simply put, communities know the GIS has to be taken to its next logical level, or it’s just a pretty map,” said Paul Klimas, Project Manager, GIS Division, Woolpert, a civil engineering and GIS firm headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. continued on next page
Water/Sewer/Storm