Welsh Water is implementing a geographic information
system (GIS) to improve asset management, customer service,
business performance and regulatory compliance.
A GIS typically enables the integration, storage, analysis and
sharing of geographically-referenced information. Similar
technology is being used by
Sutton and East Surrey Water and
Durham County Council to boost the efficiency of a range of
transport services.
Welsh Water's geographic information system, which will be
supplied by ESRI UK, forms part of the organisation's IT Enabled
Change programme to create an integrated IT environment.
"ESRI was chosen as a market leader in GIS and as lead supplier
of software and services to the UK utilities sector in a
competitive tender process run by Capgemini," said Fraser Nairn,
head of IT at Welsh Water.
The geographic information system will work within the water
company's IT environment and help share information throughout the
organisation and with third parties.
Nairn said the GIS will integrate with current systems using web
services deployed in a
service oriented architecture.
The GIS will help Welsh Water with maintenance scheduling under
the Traffic Management Act and the Streetworks Acts, its Ofwat five
year performance reporting period, and the Drinking Water
Inspectorate's (DWI) risk assessment regulatory requirements.
Nairn said ESRI's ArcGIS Sever will enable GIS intelligence to
be embedded into Welsh Water's business systems and deliver GIS
services for all employees.
These services will include an internal geographic information
system for company-wide access to information, including call
centre operators, an external GIS for third-party access including
a "dial before you dig" service for other partner utility
companies, and a mobile GIS application for field data capture.