1

GIS for Water Maximizing the Benefits of GIS

Susan Ancel - Director Water Distribution and Transmission

EPCOR Water Services Inc.

Geospatial World Forum – Preconference Seminar

May 2013, Rotterdam

2

Presentation Overview

■ EPCOR Overview

■ History of GIS – EPCOR Water

■ GIS Strategic Plan Principles

■ Infrastructure Renewal

■ Water Consumption Analysis – Rate Design

■ Transmission Main Renewal Prioritization

3

EPCOR Background

Wholly-owned subsidiaries build, own and operate electrical transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure

Selected as Alberta’s Best Overall Workplace for companies with more than 750 employees

Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada2700 Employees in TotalMore than 1000 Employees in Water

4

EPCOR Background

5

EPCOR Water – Edmonton Statistics

Waterlines = 3,700 kms Hydrants = 18,000 Valves = 54,000 Depth of Bury = 2.8meters

Population Served = 1 million Service Connections = 240,000 Average Demand = 340 MLD Maximum Demand = 550 MLD

6

GIS History – EPCOR Water1978 1980 1990 19951985 2000 2005 2008

GeoEdmonton Alliance Established

2013

3rd GenerationDatabase CentricIntegrates GIS & WMS

1St GenerationCAD Based AM/FM

Renewal Candidate Selection Tool Built

ADAPT Tool Built

Network Field Link (Webtools)

All Mains Hydraulic Model Built

Field Computers Deployed

2nd GenerationCAD & Database Based, Analysis ToolsSome WMS Tools

7

GIS Strategic Plan Principles■ GIS Technology will Improve Water Service’s

Efficiency or Effectiveness■ Accurate Information should be Available to the

Users when they need it, where they need it and in a format that meets their needs

• Data Stewardship is a key enabler • Desired outcomes are not just automation but also business process

improvement• Success requires a combination of appropriate technology and trained users

with a focus on supporting the decision process vs. creation of maps

8

Overall System Architecture

WALRUSOracle Spatial

DataRecording

Tools

HydraulicModelsSynergee

WorkManagementSystem - IVARA

ThematicMappingMapInfo

Speciality Queries And Reports

CAD Tools

Microstation

Input

Network Field LinkeSpatial

address, AppNOs

Input

GeoEdmontonAlliance Data

Utilities, parcels etc

Input

Customer InformationSystem

Service lines

Inp

ut

GeoEdmontonAlliance Data

WALRUS – Water And Land Related Utility System

Users can access same information via four interfacesdepending on their need – Microstation, MapInfo, IVARA or NFL

9

Infrastructure Program Drivers

REMAINING LENGTH AND BREAKSCAST IRON WATER MAINS

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

19

52

19

54

19

56

19

58

19

60

19

62

19

64

19

66

19

68

19

70

19

72

19

74

19

76

19

78

19

80

19

82

19

84

19

86

19

88

19

90

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

YEARS

LE

NG

TH

(km

) an

d A

NN

UA

L B

RE

AK

S

KILOMETRES OF CAST IRON PIPE

BREAKS

10

Infrastructure Renewal Program History1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Present

Distribution Cathodic Protection Program

Reactive Water Main Renewal Program

Proactive Renewal Program

Water Main Lining Program

AC/PVC Valve Program

All Mains Hydraulic Modeling

Neighbourhood Improvement Programs

2010

Accelerated Program

Current Annual Capital Budget

For Water Main Programs

Approximately $40Million/year

Total spent since 1985 - $500 Million

11

RPV – Candidate SelectionReactive \ Cathodic Protection \ Accelerated \ Neighbourhood Programs

Candidates Selected Based on RPV

Reactive Renewal – RPV>5

Cathodic Protection – RPV 0.5 <> 1.0

Neighbourhood Program – RPV > 3 and other Utility work planned in same alignment

Accelerated Program – Single Break in last five years and City Paving project planned

RPV = Replacement Priority Value

Total Number of Main Breaks over 5 years

Divided by

Total Length of Pipe Between Valves

12

Water Main Lining \ Valve & Hydrant Replacements

Water Main LiningGIS to plan construction • number of hydrants out of services• road access impacted • number of customers on

temporary water

Valve & Hydrant• Program to renew valves corroding on the

non-metallic pipes and replace obsolete hydrants

• Renewal to occur prior to other planned construction or maintenance work

13

Hydraulic Modeling Requires robust GIS

Critical aspect of selecting candidates for renewal

Also used to assess impact during construction due to components being out of service

Evaluates delivery pressures and fire fighting capacities

Also used for Energy usage analysis to determine inefficiencies in pumping and distribution of water

14

Water Consumption Analysis – Rates Design

Summer Winter

15

Current Initiatives – Transmission Main Renewal Prioritization

■ Reviewing All Transmission Activities:■ Rehabilitation

■ Cathodic protection

■ Replacement

■ Assessing Hydraulic Needs for Pipes considering changing network configuration

■ Criticality Assessments – Using Genetic Algorithms

■ Risk Ranking of Each Stretch of Transmission Main – (based on materials, road types, customer impacts, hydraulic constraints)

16

Thank you for your time

Questions?