Pic Credit: rwjf.org
Challenge
The City of Gonzales (Monterey County, CA) was relying on paper maps for tracking locations of utility assets in their Storm, Water and Sewer networks. This method was time consuming and inefficient for locating assets and planning maintenance operations. The City had digital CAD drawings of their networks but these were usable only in the office and were not accessible to field staff. The City wanted a better way to view their utility network information in the office and in the field, and improve their workflows with faster access.
Solution
After consulting with the City and determining their needs, VESTRA began by converting CAD data to GIS and georeferencing the information so it is located with better accuracy on the map. VESTRA then setup the ArcGIS Online organizational account for the City and published the converted CAD as hosted layers within ArcGIS Online. (The City had purchased a Cloud-based Enterprise Agreement from Esri. This gave the City access to unlimited desktop GIS software and the powerful ArcGIS Online platform with over 200 app solutions for local government).
VESTRA then used ready to deploy ArcGIS Solutions for Local Government, included with ArcGIS Online such as Water Distribution System Foundation, Mapping for Small Stormwater Systems, and Sewer Data Management. Each of these solutions include a suite of web, mobile, and desktop apps to support mapping the respective systems with data editing, viewing maps in the field and in the office, viewing reports about asset information, and creating map notes.
Result
The deployment of ArcGIS Online and included web and mobile applications transformed the way the City functions and performs work related to utility network mapping and maintenance. Multiple staff with logins can now access any part of the system, and view asset locations and understand their attributes. Mobile apps such as Collector for ArcGIS allow the City to capture more data in the field than originally available in the CAD drawings, and expand the collection of assets available to City staff.
Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director said, “ArcGIS Online has proven to be a leap forward in how we operate and allowed us to modernize our workflows. VESTRA has been instrumental in our transformation and we are pleased with their expert knowledge, guidance, and responsiveness throughout the process.” Crystal Dorn, Regional Account Manager at Esri said, “Key partners such as VESTRA are able to fully leverage the advantages provided by Cloud-based Enterprise Agreements and offer a lot of value to clients in a relatively short amount of time.”
The City is now in the process of expanding on their asset inventory by using mobile apps like Collector and capturing data directly from the field and expects to make updated information available to anyone across the organization.