Highly Accurate, Field-Verified Maps for Sanitary Sewer SystemCity of Hampton, Virginia, Launches Infrastructure GIS ProjectThree years ago, the Public Works Department for the City of Hampton, Virginia (population 150,000), did not have a GIS layer for their wastewater system. At that time, David A. Reaves was appointed Director of Wastewater Operations. His goal was to build an infrastructure GIS system by developing highly detailed and accurate digital maps while utilizing other software for maintenance management. "Having accurate maps helps to determine maintenance repair needs," says Reaves. To begin the infrastructure GIS project, Reaves consulted with the City's former GIS manager. The two men agreed to hire Woolpert LLP, an Esri Business Partner, to provide GPS coordinates for 8,124 easily identifiable manholes. Estimates on the total number of structures in the system, including valves, are as high as 12,000. The City gathered GPS coordinates on manholes located in alleys, buried in yards, or covered with asphalt. Next, Reaves hired Susan Gregg, a GIS specialist. Her goal was to implement a system that would satisfy everyone's needs and comply with existing GIS standards. The Operations Division needed a parts inventory and work order system to efficiently schedule maintenance and rehabilitation activities and tools to analyze system performance. City planners and engineers needed a utility map for accurately planning proposed City developments. A Systematic Approach Requiring Full IntegrationThe City utilizes more than 35 licenses of ArcView GIS to access the GIS data in addition to the MapObjects Internet Map Server (IMS) application. A CAD program provides drawing capabilities and GIS tools. Gregg recognized linking the ArcView project to an external infrastructure database, which would store all of the attribute data necessary, would complete the GIS system. She presented several software applications to the wastewater managers. Their choice by consensus was software from GBA Master Series, Inc., an Esri Business Partner. The software was specifically designed for public works and water resources management. "This software package was chosen because of its comprehensive nature," says Gregg. "It can handle infrastructure inventory of manholes and pipes plus the added capabilities of a work order system, parts inventory management, and field data collection from the City's WinCan TV system." In addition, it works well with a variety of data types (ArcView, ArcInfo, and CAD files). Once everything was in place, Gregg and a GIS team went to work. In order to meet pending federal infrastructure asset reporting requirements, the City chose to first complete gravity and force mains. Currently, each pump station area is plotted with roads, buildings, and manholes labeled with existing GPS coordinates. Manholes requiring GPS coordinates are noted, as well as areas in question resulting from gaps in the as-built drawings. Field crews note GPS coordinates and indicate system flow on the documents. Final CAD edits result from crew notes. To conclude the process of developing highly accurate, field-verified maps, the GBA GIS Toolkit, an extension of ArcView GIS, is used to synchronize data consistency between Esri shapefiles, CAD, and the infrastructure management database. The toolkit processes the automated drawing file, populates certain attribute data into the GBA database, and creates a shapefile linked to the data stored in GBA Master Series database software. Finalizing the map generation process with the GBA GIS Toolkit results in a GIS map linked to a comprehensive inventory, inspection, and maintenance management software program. For more information, contact Michelle Mason, GBA Master Series (tel.: 800-492-2468, e-mail: info@gbamasterseries.com); Susan Gregg, City of Hampton GIS specialist (tel.: 7577262991, e-mail: sgreg@city.hampton.va.us);?? or David A. Reaves, City of Hampton director of Wastewater Operations (tel.: 757-726-2941, e-mail: dreaves@city.hampton.va.us). |
