Web GIS Platform for a Major US Water Utility
Web GIS Platform for a Major US Water Utility
CASE STUDY
Business Overview
A major water utility company in the US wanted to change how they managed, monitored, and maintained its water distribution network. The goal was to implement a web-based GIS platform that would support asset management, operational decision-making, regulatory compliance, and improved customer service across multiple departments.
Challenge
The utility’s water distribution system spanned a large service area with assets managed by different teams.
Key challenges included:
- Fragmented asset data spread across systems and departments
- Limited ability to quickly identify, isolate, and respond to network incidents such as leaks, valve shutdowns, or fire flow events
- Manual and time-consuming processes for:
- Finding and notifying affected customers during valve isolation
- Managing contracts, maintenance schedules, and documents
- Generating maps and reports for field crews and planners
The need for a single enterprise-wide platform that could serve Customer Service, Engineering, Operations, Water Quality, HR, Mechanical, and other units.
Solution
The NeST team designed and implemented a web GIS–based platform tailored for water distribution systems with the following capabilities:
- Asset Management & Network Visualization
- Cartographic view of all water utility network assets
- Search and locate assets (valves, hydrants, pipes, meters, etc.)
- Centralized asset and contract information for better lifecycle management
- Operational Tools
- Valve Isolation: Identify isolation valves and impacted network segments during shutdowns
- Fire Flow Testing & Reporting: Support planning, testing, and documentation for fire flow operations
- Dig Alert: Enable safe excavation planning by identifying underground assets in affected areas
- Water Quality & Maintenance: Track regular maintenance and water quality–related activities
- Customer & Field Support
- Identify customers impacted during valve close-down operations and generate mailing lists or communication outputs
- Advanced, high-quality map printing for field use and planning
- Report generation with integrated map views
- Information Management
- Document search and view
- Contracts and maintenance management
- Enterprise-wide access across departments through a single, integrated platform
Impact
- Improved Operational Efficiency: Faster decision-making during outages, maintenance, and emergency events through real-time asset visibility and valve isolation tools.
- Enhanced Customer Service: Quick identification and notification of affected customers, reducing service disruption impact and improving communication.
- Better Regulatory & Safety Compliance: Streamlined fire flow testing, dig alerts, and water quality tracking with accurate spatial data and documentation.
- Stronger Cross-Department Collaboration: A single enterprise GIS platform serving multiple departments, ensuring everyone works off the same accurate, up-to-date network data.
- Field Productivity Gains: High-quality map outputs and reports improved field crew readiness and planning accuracy.
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