Water Utility Modeling at the Truckee Donner Public Utility District

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District services the water needs of 15,000 customers over a 44-square-mile area. Previously, water facility information was maintained on old, decomposing paper and Mylar engineering documents, some of which are nearly 75 years old. Now, a seamless two-foot accurate water facility map and a fully functional three-dimensional system model have taken mapping to a new level. Improved facility maintenance, faster and more accurate system design, and more precise facility location are many functions available to users of the water GIS model.

Valve Isolation—Due to either construction or pipe leaks, pipe sections sometimes need to be temporarily taken out of service. This modeling capability enables the user to select the leak or construction point of the water network and perform a valve isolation trace. The analysis results will show, either by selection or visually, the critical valves that require closing and all water facilities and customers to be affected by the isolation.

Trench Management—Improved underground facility management is accomplished by Miner & Miner’s Conduit System Manager’s ability to model trenches. The conduit manager depicts pipes and/or conduits within a trench and their locations, and it color codes the utility using the conduit.

Pipe Replacement—To minimize leaks, improve the integrity of the water system, and efficiently manage fieldwork time, the pipe replacement application quickly and efficiently assigns each pipe segment a replacement designation. Based on a coefficient that considers pipe material, year installed, and number of leaks, each pipe is assigned a replacement cost and is later used to develop a replacement report for that month.

Three-Dimensional Plan and Profile—Water utility engineering is aided through the modeling of the water infrastructure in a three-dimensional view. The user has the ability to present a cross-sectional view of any pipe segment in relation to street surface, gas pipes, and electric and broadband conduits. This is important to show true pipe location.