“GIS Applications that are Revolutionizing the Sewer and Wastewater Industries”
“Wastewater” and “sewer” may not be the most glamorous terms associated with water quality management, but an increase in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has helped to eliminate much of the “dirtiness” surrounding jobs in these industries. Here, I would like to share several GIS applications that are helping sewer and wastewater managers and engineers to steer clear of the mud, so to speak.
Drones. Technically named “Unmanned Airborne Vehicles” or UAVs, these remote sensing apparatuses are not just for kids’ play anymore. Drones may provide engineers with comprehensive information from site inspections of isolated facilities (and those nearby), along with highly detailed 3-D mapping, which provides data that is incorporated into the GIS. This allows wastewater managers to see if and where leaks are occurring in the system. Managers can use historical GIS data to prioritize on-going system maintenance, which can help engineers make more cost-effective decisions when dealing with troublesome leaks and when implementing repairs and upgrades.
Hydraulic Modeling and GIS Integration. Hydraulic modeling consists of a mathematical model used to calculate the hydraulic qualities (flow) of water to and from a sewer system. Once upon a time this was a very costly and time-consuming process, but the integration of GIS has allowed wastewater utilities to keep up with system attributes such as pipelines, valves and storage tanks. GIS databases can be used for recording pipeline installation dates and for verifying diameter, along with identifying future changes to system workflows in the network, which could be caused by the addition of a neighborhood to the network, for instance. This information is then plugged into the hydraulic model to give engineers a comprehensive view of how changes in the network can affect the amount of flow (hydraulics) from a wastewater plant and throughout a sewer system.
Infrastructure Mapping via GIS Technology. GIS can be used to identify type, age and condition of sewer and wastewater infrastructure and can provide a graphic interface of the qualities to managers and engineers. These applications can be used to track repairs and upgrades, along with the installation of new infrastructure, and this information can be recorded and stored in a GIS database for easy retrieval at the touch of a button.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of GIS applications that are seeing more use in the water quality realm. As a new decade kicks into gear, GIS applications may very possibly become the norm for wastewater and sewer utilities. Combining speed, accuracy and cost-effectiveness, GIS applications can definitely increase the efficacy of sewer and wastewater networks and simplify their management.
Sources:
“7 Ways GIS is Transforming Civil Engineering” by Dmitriy Malets. Retrieved from:
https://technorely.com/blog/gis-in-civil-engineering/
“1000 GIS Applications & Uses - How GIS is Changing the World”, a GIS Geography feature. Retrieved from:
https://gisgeography.com/gis-applications-uses/
“Geographic Information Systems in Water Management” by John N. Hatzopolous. Retrieved from:
http://www2.env.aegean.gr/labs/Remote_sensing/publications/Jnh_Eydap_02.pdf
“GIS (Geographic Information Systems)”, a National Geographic encyclopedic entry. Retrieved from:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geographic-information-system-gis/
“GIS and Hydraulic Modeling” by Howard Crothers. Retrieved from:
https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-desktop/water/gis-hydraulic-modeling/
“GIS For Water Utilities: Efficiently Mapping Water And Sanitary Infrastructure”, a GIS report. Retrieved from:
https://www.giscloud.com/blog/gis-for-utilities-managing-water-infrastructure/
“Use of GIS Growing in the Municipal Water, Wastewater Business” by Paul Ginther. Retrieved from:
Kristen Persons