Rob Mendel

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• Presented by
• Rob Mendel
• City of Huntingburg
• Steve Leatherman
• WTH Technology

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What is GIS for Utilities? A Utility Geographic
Information System (GIS) combines digital maps
and data to enhance Data Collection -
Provides a way to convert data from several
sources such as paper maps, AutoCad files,
information stored in peoples heads and new data
collected in the field into a common digital and
map based format. Data Analysis - Allows us to
view, understand, question, interpret and
visualize data in many ways that reveal
relationships data in ways that reveal
relationships, patterns, and trends in the form
of maps, reports, and charts. Data Sharing -
Allows utility data to be seen and shared with
utility administrators, billing staff, and
workers in the field. It also allows utility
information to be shared with other departments
such as public safety, planning and street
departments, and share utility information with
elected officials and the general public.
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Gas Utility Leak Management The GIS can
used to identify nearest valves or structures
that need to be closed, to separate the leak area
from rest of network to mitigate loss (Key
Valves). After an accident or leak, the network
has to be restored and damaged pipe segments have
to be replaced. GIS applications can help in
building the footage network that will replace
failed network by identifying types of pipes
(cast iron or steel), length of pipes and number
of pipe segments.
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Water
Utility The GIS system can identify the sizes
and types of water mains that make up your
distribution system. This can be very useful
when looking at required repairs and for water
system expansion projects. Hydrant information is
particular important for use in emergency
response.
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Electric
Utility The GIS system can help identify how
many electric poles are in your electric system
and detailed information about each electric
pole. For example age of pole, height of
pole, if a street light is on the pole, number of
transformers attached to a specific electric
pole if any, and the size of the transformer, etc.
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Electric
Utility Collected Electric Pole Attributes and
Attached Photograph
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Stormwater
Utility The GIS system can help identify how
many miles of stormwater pipe are located within
your system, number of stormwater inlets, size of
pipes within the system, and where possible
upgrades to the system may need to be made.
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Wastewater
Utility The GIS system can help identify how
many wastewater manholes are in your system, the
type of system (gravity or force main), the size
of pipes, number of lift stations in the system,
total of amount of area serviced by a particular
lift station, etc.
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• Increasing the Use of Your
  Utility GIS
• Look for opportunities to gather interest in your
  GIS system from people that dont use it on a
  daily basis. When they ask questions about a
  utility, rather than answering the question
  directly, show them how they can use the GIS
  system to answer their own questions. Help them
  to become familiar with using your GIS system.
• Ask users what things that they would like to see
  in the GIS system.
• Building Data Dictionaries Rather than just
  going out and collecting GPS data, take a step
  back and really think about what utility
  information is important to collect, and what may
  not be so important. Work on developing data
  dictionaries before you collect data.

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• Increasing the Use of
  Your Utility GIS
• Capturing Tribal Knowledge It is very important
  to get utility information in your utility GIS
  that represents tribal knowledge. Maybe only one
  person in the in the utility department has
  knowledge that is critical to operations. A
  death or retirement may result in a substantial
  loss of time and money to reconstruct this
  information and some knowledge may be lost
  forever.
• Using Laptops in the Field The use of laptops
  in the field has really helped for utility
  locates, shut-offs and re-connects.

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QUESTIONS ??