Abstract

Integrating GIS with a Custom Water Asset Database
Track: Implementing Survey Data in GIS
Author(s): Doug Harrold

The City of Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities has developed various custom VBA applications to interface with a city-wide GIS system and replace a proprietary database application with an open architecture system. The goal was to enable engineering staff the tools necessary to maintain a water utility asset infrastructure and work order information system.

This custom Access VBA application integrated Water Service Assembly assets with GIS and the Finance Department's Harris Billing System. It significantly improved department and cross-functional efficiencies, reduced input errors, and identified testing for water service assets, such as backflow preventers.

Prior to creating the application, essential regulatory reports and management reports were cumbersome to retrieve, and required extensive field work by staff. The application currently cross-indexes with billing, ESRI ARCGIS 9.2, and tracks work orders specific to water system maintenance. It also supplies asset data into MHW Software's H2oMap hydraulic modeling software.

Doug Harrold
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Ave
Water & Sewer Utilities
Santa Clara , California 95050
United States
Phone: 408-615-2015
E-mail: dharrold@santaclaraca.gov