{"id":432422,"date":"2022-11-17T22:53:25","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T22:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uat.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?post_type=blog&p=432422"},"modified":"2025-04-07T22:19:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T22:19:31","slug":"problem-solving-at-a-small-utility","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/problem-solving-at-a-small-utility","title":{"rendered":"Problem-Solving at a Small Utility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Rodriguez loves playing sports. He enjoys the comradery associated with team sports and is a good leader. He also enjoys fixing things. Understanding how and why something did or didn’t work has always interested him. This combination of leadership and problem-solving set Rodriguez on an unexpected path. <\/p>\n\n

As the geographic information system (GIS) and information technology manager at Lower Valley Water District<\/a> (LVWD), Rodriguez puts his skills to the test every day. He works with staff members to understand their needs and help determine how technology can help them. There is always a lot to learn, and he approaches each day as if it were his first.<\/p>\n\n

Finding the Right Path<\/h2>\n\n

As Rodriguez transitioned from high school to college, he was unsure of where to focus his studies. Like many high school graduates, he started his college education without a declared major. While working through school, Rodriguez had a variety of jobs that indirectly set him on his path. He provided tech support for a small real estate company. He set up security cameras for a bar. He helped a couple of pawn shops by setting up printers, computers, a point-of-sale (POS) system, and a surveillance system. Each job exposed him to technology solutions. Fixing things, automating processes, helping small businesses understand technology, and training them to not need him anymore resulted in a strong feeling of satisfaction. His work made a difference.<\/p>\n\n

Information technology came naturally to Rodriguez. After thriving in his work outside academics, he decided to major in computer information systems. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a bright future.<\/p>\n\n

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Lower Valley Water District administrative building in Clint, TX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Getting an Opportunity to Grow<\/h2>\n\n

Career paths are often bumpy. Rodriguez graduated and started his job search. He applied everywhere. He worked hard for a year at identifying worthwhile job listings, completing applications, and hoping for an interview. It was a tough time that was made more difficult by the loss of his father. Working with a temp agency, Rodriguez was given the opportunity to interview at Lower Valley Water District (LVWD). He was hired immediately and started work as a member of the IT department, supporting the help desk. In this role, Rodriguez provided support in various ways. One project that he worked on was the transition to new mobile phones. This required him to meet with staff members, understand their work, and help set up applications on the phones. Getting to know his colleagues and understand their work was a great way to build trust. As his knowledge grew, so did his responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n

After three months as a temp at LVWD, Rodriguez was made a permanent employee. Supporting the help desk provided a lot of insight into the business systems that staff relied on. LVWD saw potential in the work being done and decided to send Rodriguez to the Esri User Conference. This was his first exposure to GIS. LVWD sent him to the conference to learn as much as he could about GIS and how it is being used by other organizations. Being exposed to GIS and everything that is possible with it really complemented his passion for IT and problem-solving. Attending the conference was eye-opening. When a GIS technician position became available, Rodriguez expressed an interest and was transitioned to this role. <\/p>\n\n

GIS and IT is a match made in heaven.<\/p>

Ryan Rodriguez<\/cite>Lower Valley Water District<\/span><\/div><\/blockquote><\/section>\n\n

Meeting Challenges<\/h2>\n\n

Working at LVWD was a big change from working at small, privately owned businesses. Each day was a learning opportunity.<\/p>\n\n

One of the first projects Rodriguez worked on as a GIS technician was creating links to as-built drawings within the GIS. Doing this would save engineering staff a lot of time because it would eliminate the need to search through digital documents for the appropriate drawings. Rodriguez worked with Esri staff to learn how to make this happen. Having a map that visualized the complete network (sewer, water, and subdivisions) with links that opened engineering drawings and related documents for each project was a huge benefit. Employees in the field were able to use mobile apps to access engineering drawings on their devices. They were very impressed and started asking what else could be improved with GIS. This was a significant change in how GIS was viewed and led to an explosion of GIS-based solutions.<\/p>\n\n

LVWD’s maintenance hole rehabilitation project was another opportunity to overcome challenges. Staff had been struggling to find maintenance holes that had been paved over. This led to the creation of an application that inspectors used to record maintenance hole location and other information, like whether a maintenance hole could be opened. Problematic maintenance holes were identified and, once opened, visualized as green on the map. The new application enabled staff to immediately determine if a maintenance hole was accessible. In addition, the application provided data that was used to generate reports with a click of a button. This provided insight for staff and empowered contractors as well.<\/p>\n\n

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    Consumption analysis dashboard for viewing usage and consumption of water meters and customer accounts.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
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    Consumption analysis 3D scene, symbolied with yearly average for viewing water usage (blue) and bill amounts (green) for all customer accounts.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
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    Water rights field application map for viewing tampering inspections, water rights parcels, and surface water canals.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>
    ArcGIS is used to map, display, and visualize water district information in support of organizational goals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>