Water Utility GIS

Water Utility GIS

Agenda:

- Business Reality & Needs- Objective- Project Timeline- Methodology- References

Christopher KahnSenior Engineering Technician, GISJanuary 7th, 2010

Advisor – Dr. Patrick Kennelly

Development of Property, Operational, and Base Map Layers for Online Consumption

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American Water is the largest investor-owned water and wastewater service provider in the United States.

Provide services to approximately

15 million people in more than

1,600 communities in 32 states

and in Ontario, Canada

Employ approximately

7,000 employees

Treat and deliver over

one billion gallons of water daily

Utility Only

O&M Only

Both

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New Jersey American Water New Jersey is largest of American Water states

875 Employees 9500 miles piping 17 Counties, 181 Municipalities Over 500 properties Thousands of easements 3 Full-Time GIS staff

Growth Via: New construction, New systems

Variety of legacy mapping & record systems 2006 - 2008 GIS Conversion Project

Only network assets converted to GIS No “Land Base” created

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Business Reality

Over 500 properties across state Existing databases vary in completeness & formatting:

Tax, Legal, Environmental Compliance, Asset Planning, etc Satisfy the individual needs of departments Not comprehensive; No mapping component Insufficient for Regulatory or Management:

- Map requests

- Comprehensive data requests

- Requests that require spatial overlay

- Spatial or attribute query requests

- GIS analysis requests No “Self-Help” … all property map requests require research.

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Elizabethtown Water Company Property (200+ records)

Existing Database Sample:

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New Jersey American Water Property (400+ records)


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Environmental Compliance Database (300+ records)


88

Facility / Property Database (907 records)


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Business Need

Seamless property database in GIS

Simple schema with logical key field (PAMS)

Web Access for “Non-GIS” users Basic “common” attribution Basic query & search tools Basic printing tools Rich custom base map Water network overlay Optional enhancements:

- “Value Add” layers (solar potential, conservation value, etc)- Thematic layers (tax info by county, borough, etc)- Operational layers- User editing capability- Digitize & link to deeds from Legal Department

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Objective

The objective of this project is to create an efficient way to access & edit New Jersey American Water property information, as well as view contextual GIS layers, through a map-based web interface.

Goals:The primary goal is to design and build an up to date, seamless GIS property

layer for New Jersey American Water.

The secondary goal is to provide an efficient way to access, query, edit, and print property information for end users with or without GIS knowledge.

The tertiary goal is to design a base map that uses cartographic design principles to support users in a variety of geospatial water utility tasks.

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Identification of business need Determine objective Requirements / Data gathering Schema design Database population Web map design

Services Map documents Base map layers Operational layers Thematic layers Tools

Testing

Methodology

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The goal of this project is to create an efficient way to access & edit New Jersey American Water property information, as well as view contextual GIS layers, through a map-based web interface.

Objective – Methodology Relationship

OBJECTIVE

CONTENT ACCESS CONTEXT

ApplicationTool

Development

Base Map Layers

MSDLayers

MSDServices

Base Map

Service

PropertyDatabase

GatherRequirements•CEO, VP Eng.

•Legal, Env, Tax

ScaleDesign

Design Tools• Editing, Search• Query, GP, etc

“MAP” VIEWCache

Gather / Create /

GIS Analysis

Thematic Layer /

GIS Analysis

Zoom LevelDesign

SymbolizeBackground

Layers

Create Mosaic DEM

Hill ShadeContours

ManipulateBackground

Layers

Operational* Employees

* Taxes / Values* Piping

EnvironmentLand UseSoil Types

Schema Design

DatabasePopulation

“SATELLITE”VIEW Cache

ImageServer

LabelsTowns, Roads,

Hwy Shields

InformationDesign

Normalized Source Data

Locate,Digitize

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Develop Peer Review PresentationDevelop Peer Review Presentation

Finalize PresentationFinalize Presentation

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

ConferenceConference

Populate DatabasePopulate Database

PrepPrep

Requirements Requirements & Data& Data

GatheringGathering

Base Map Document DesignBase Map Document Design

Web Application DesignWeb Application Design

Web App Tool DesignWeb App Tool Design

Thematic Layer DevelopmentThematic Layer Development

Thematic Tool DesignThematic Tool Design

iterative

MethodologyTimelineSchemaSchema

iterative

American Water Works Association Annual Conference

(NJ Chapter) – Atlantic City – April 15th 2010

Conference Presentation:

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• Met with stakeholder department leads

• Collected databases from these departments Tax, Legal, Environmental Compliance, Asset Planning Determined minimum fields necessary for GIS Determined relative completeness & accuracy of each DB Elected “Tax” records as starting DB point Determine link to upcoming NJ State Parcel layer (PAMS)

Data & Requirements GatheringContent

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Schema DesignContent

Parcels (NJ State Layer)

+ LASTUPDATE : esriFieldTypeDate

Parcels (NJAW)

+ COUNTY : Code+ MUN :+ MUN : TownTown + ADDRESS : esriFieldTypeString (50)+ ACRES_LEGAL : esriFieldTypeDouble+ ACRES_GIS : esriFieldTypeDouble+ VALUE_BLDG : esriFieldTypeDouble + VALUE_LAND : esriFieldTypeDouble + VALUE_TOTAL : esriFieldTypeDouble + TAX08 : esriFieldTypeDouble+ TAX_DESC : esriFieldTypeString (15)+ Status : PropStatus = Own+ DATE_PURCHASED : esriFieldTypeDate+ DATE_SOLD : esriFieldTypeDate+ DEED : esriFieldTypeString (100) *Link*+ TAXRATE : esriFieldTypeDouble+ NAME : esriFieldTypeString (50)+ ZONING : esriFieldTypeString (30)+ USE_LEASE : Yes/No = No+ DESCRIPTION : esriFieldTypeString (250)

Domain : Code

Code Name

01 Atlantic 02 Bergen

etc , etc

Domain : Town (4)

Code Name

0101 Absecon 0302 Beverly

etc , etc

Code Name

Sold Sold Own Own Let Lease Oth Other

Domain : Yes/No

Code Name

Y Yes N No

Domain : PropStatus

Parcels Abstract Class

+ PAMS_PIN : esriFieldTypeString (38)+ MUN : esriFieldTypeString (4)+ BLOCK : esriFieldTypeString (10)+ LOT : esriFieldTypeString (10)+ QCODE : esriFieldTypeString (11)+ LASTUPDATE : esriFieldTypeDate

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Database Population

• Start with tax record• Compare to other databases• Normalize data• Locate property in existing parcel layers• Copy into geometry into property layer

If no existing parcel GIS available… Log into E-Taxmaps.com Save tax map as .tiff format Geo-reference Digitize outline in NJAW layer

• Repeat (~500 times)

Content

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Create Web Application Documents

MSD – Web Optimized Map Document Operational layers (live) Thematic layers

• Perform spatial analysis as needed

MXD – Normal Map Document Web edit layer (property) Cached (tiled) layers

• Perform spatial analysis as needed

ArcCatalog – Services Geometry (measurements) Geocode (addressing / routing) Geodata (query)

Context

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• Create a normal Map Document (mxd) in ArcMap

• Design for web viewing…

Cartographic Design Neutrals? Primaries? Bolds? Muted? Sharp? Soft? Hierarchal?

“Scale Dependencies” Choose all layers to participate in base map (45+)

• Perform Spatial Analysis to create layers as needed Group according to category Create additional Group Layers for each scale level (1:25 – 1:2,000,000) Copy all category group layers into each Scale Group Create a “Map” for each scale level (17 scales)

• Make use of transparencies & label settings• Consider future “live” layer placement

(ex: place road labels above roads to make room for water mains) Set Scale Dependencies for Groups & Layer labels Test result by zooming in/out at desired Web App zoom levels

Caching Strategy ‘Extents’ and data / time management Cache as much as possible without distracting target audience Thematic or Frequently Updated layers should be a separate “dynamic” service

Create A Rich “Base Map”Context

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Raw Data

2020

Cartographic Product

2121

DynamicOverlay

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Choose the WebApplication Format

ESRI Out – of – Box (GUI)

Drawbacks:- Very limited “looks”- Limited customization of tools- Heavy on server resources- Crashes often

Benefits:- No advanced programming- Wizard driven, simple- Many basics included- Version 9.3.1 has been enhanced

ESRI Server Development Kits (SDK)

.NET, SilverlightTM, FLEXTM, Java, JavascriptTM

Drawbacks:- Some programming

Benefits:- Change “look” of SDK sample- Create or change widgets- Limitless ability to customize tools

Access

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Configure BasicWeb Application

• “Mash Up” various services created earlier MSD (operational & thematic) MXD (edit layer) MXD (cached base map) MXD (image service) MXD (cached image hwy labels) Geo-code (address search service) Geo-data (query service) Geometry (drawing service)

• Basic configuration of web page “look” Legend, color, layout, etc

Access

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Create & ConfigureApplication Tools

Address search Attribute search Attribute query Information tool Live layers widget Print tool Conservation value tool*

Canned model results

Environmental breakdown tool* % wetlands, urban, etc

Spatial query * Live custom location query

Editor tool * Real time editing via browser Likely separate application

Access

* Optional

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Simple OOB DraftWeb Application

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FLEX Web Application

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Test & Soft Launch

Tough-book, Office, Laptop Multiple Browser Test Edit Testing Identify Field & Office Soft User Group Access / Load Testing

Objective

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Lessons Learned

Note: Final project objective different than original conception… Original objective called for an online analysis model for the New Jersey

Property database– Property GIS layer did not exist– No good online ‘housing’ for such a tool

Objective re-worked to prepare data & application for future modular enhancements

Difficult to find similar proprietary solutions Industry specific cartography sets this application apart from its peers Online cartographic production is time consuming Web mapping applications have a lot of moving parts End users always ask for more, learn to say “no” politely

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Public User Applications

• Collection of related public user sites developed w/ ArcGIS Server: http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisserver/live-user-sites.html

Relevant Selection:• http://gis.hudson.oh.us/SewerTV/ This application was selected for utility relevance. It appears to be written in

JavaScript. Tools are ‘soft’, almost cartoonish, making them a bit less intimidating and confusing than the flashy ‘zippy’ Flex tool design. Design is minimalist, but excellent. Choice of cache v. live layers well done. Especially like ability to ‘slide’ through transparency from plain base map to (cached) satellite base map. There are too many cache levels. Application benefits from small extent. The map is cached to a very large scale, however, it is still easy to “trip up” the base map (cache) generation. This seems to be an ArcGIS Server bug, but it might be related to local server RAM or bandwidth.

• http://paarcgis.ocpafl.org/Webmap2/default.aspx The Orange County, FL Property Appraiser page is one of the most lauded and one of the earlier ArcGIS Server (9.2) pages to be developed. It is highly polished, with a lot of custom development, and highly geared toward property appraisal. The tourist style map is appropriate for a large public audience, but it transitions to a well designed cadastral map at larger scales.

• http://maps.roktech.net/santarosa/ags/zoning/ Compare the Santa Rosa County, FL application to Orange County, and it is night and day. The benefits of well thought out design and cartography become clear. There are successes, however, in this application that are of interest. The clean design, inclusion of ‘canned’ thematic layers, and parcel search tool are all features the NJAW project should aim to emulate.

• http://gweb.wra.gov.tw/wrweb/gisindex.htm • http://citymaps10.phila.gov/ZoningOverlay/• http://ch-arcims.ci.lenexa.ks.us/commdev/communitydevelopmentmap.html

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References

• Best Practices for Creating an ArcGIS Server Web Application for Municipal / Local Government. http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/creating-arcgisserver-web-mapping.pdf

Accessed November 2009.• ESRI Tax Parcel Template Poster. http://resources.esri.com/landrecords/index.cfm?

fa=codeGalleryDetails&scriptID=16559. Accessed December 2009

• Fowler, Martin. (2004). UML Distilled. Boston: Addison-Wesley. • Kruchten, Philippe. (2004). The Rational Unified Process An Introduction. Boston: Addison-Wesley.• Meyer, N. V. (2004). GIS and Land Records The ArcGIS Parcel Data Model. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press. • Meeham, Bill (2007). Empowering Electric & Gas Utilities with GIS. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press.• New Jersey Geographic Network. https://njgin.state.nj.us/NJ_NJGINExplorer/IW.jsp. Accessed December, 2009.• NJAW Water Network Data Model. NJAW_Water_Physical.pdf Revised 9.20.07. Internal Document. New Jersey

American Water• Rayburn, S. R. (2004). The Use of GIS in Water Utility Asset Management, Four Seasons Subdivision of Lufkin,

Texas. Thesis (M.I.S.)--Stephen F. Austin State University, August, 2004.

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Questions