Abstract
Water Utilities Management & Planning at University of Minnesota
Track: Administration and Policy
Authors: Daniel Sward
Prior to 2010, the University of Minnesota Facilities Management Civil Utilities business unit relied on paper maps & documentation, spreadsheets, some CAD maps, and institutional knowledge to manage its assets. These tools were not efficient, were not well integrated, did not easily allow for "systems" thinking, made a planful approach to asset management difficult, and did not lend themselves well to a changing Civil Utilities work force.
To address these shortcomings, GIS Analyst Dan Sward and Principal Civil Engineer Cathy Abene worked together to develop a GIS-based asset management program for its water utilities including storm water, pressurized water, and sanitary systems. With limited resources and funding, a unique blend of University of Minnesota student resources coupled with Esri's free "ArcGIS for Water Utilities" tools and templates were leveraged to deliver a well regarded asset management program for water utilities at low cost. This includes desktop, mobile, and web components.