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Project Goal

Tucson Water previously maintained water system data on approximately 1,600 paper maps. Our goal was to create an enterprise GIS using the data contained on our paper maps.

To best serve the needs of our users, we wanted to provide multiple ways to access the data without maintaining multiple sources. We also wanted to “close the information loop” and provide an electronic redlining and annotation application whereby users could submit edits and notes directly to the mapping staff.

Another of our goals was to integrate our water system data with our customer information system, maintenance management data and hydraulic modeling software.

Business Problem Solved

Tucson Water previously maintained water system information on a series of paper maps contained in what we referred to as valve books. Each valve book contained approximately 1,600 1:2400 scale maps. Notes and corrections to the valve maps, based on field observations, were recorded and maintained by staff in their valve books. Much of this information was never transmitted back to the mapping staff so that it could be included in future updates to the paper maps.

Updating and distributing the paper valve maps was time consuming and inefficient. Updates to the valve books were produced quarterly and we estimate that over 3,000 person hours were spent each year replacing outdated valve book pages.

Tucson Water also maintained other paper map products at varies scales that were derivatives of the information on the valve maps. Changes in one map product triggered changes to at least 2 others.

A GIS enables Tucson Water to maintain and distribute the water system information from one source electronically thereby increasing labor efficiency and delivering new and updated information to staff in a more timely manner.

Technology Implemented

Tucson Water is committed to using ESRI's ArcGIS, ArcSDE and ArcIMS applications for the maintenance and display of our water system data. Our GIS related computer hardware consists of two Compaq servers running Microsoft’s Windows Server operating system. Oracle and ArcSDE are used to store our data on one of the servers. The second server runs ArcIMS, Microsoft Internet Information Server and a custom Java application to deliver our GIS information via a web browser. Office staff access our GIS data using either ArcGIS or ArcIMS over our 1 gigabit LAN. Field crews use ruggedized laptops to access the GIS data using ArcIMS and a wireless CDMA card.

Development Team Biography

Tucson Water staff worked with ESRI and EMA, Inc. during this project. EMA assisted with numerous aspects of the project including creation of our ArcIMS site. ESRI created our initial Geodatabase design and helped assure that Tucson Water was properly prepared for conversion of our paper maps into a GIS. SPL Worldgroup, manufacturer of our maintenance management software, worked closely with Tucson Water and EMA to link our GIS with their software. The Tucson Water development team consisted of Sandy Elder, Project Manager, and two GIS Systems Analysts: Bob Czaja and Bryn Enright.

Sandy Elder is a Professional Engineer and Manager of Tucson Water’s System Planning and Evaluation section, and was instrumental in moving Tucson Water toward creating an enterprise GIS. Bob Czaja is a GIS Systems Analyst with the Information Services section of Tucson Water and has over 8 years of GIS related experience, focused primarily on GIS database administration, web applications and system administration. Bryn Enright is a GIS Systems Analyst with the Mapping-GIS section of Tucson Water has and has over 4 years of GIS related experience focused primarily on database design and GIS application programming and development.