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Abstract
From Maps to Geodatabases: Expanding the Role of GIS in a Large Municipal Utility
Track: Water Distribution, Wastewater, and Stormwater
Author(s): Leeanne Pacatte
The City of Austin, Texas, owns and operates its water and wastewater utilities and maintains 2,700 miles of water pipe and 2,300 miles of wastewater pipe. With a population of almost one million, Austin is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. The water and wastewater utility began using automated mapping technology in 1978 and migrated to GIS in 1997. Through this problematic migration, we learned the not-so-technical impact of organizational considerations on technology projects. Our current challenge is to evolve the GIS from a mapping tool used for operational support to a business tool capable of decision support. An Information Technology Master Plan was developed in 1999 to address the overall information needs of the utility and to formulate a road map to provide direction. The GIS is a cornerstone of this plan. This paper outlines the processes the utility has gone through to expand the role of GIS, the organizational obstacles encountered, and the actions taken to address them.
Leeanne Pacatte
City of Austin
625 East 10th Street
Austin, TX 78701-2631
USA
Phone: 512-322-3622
Fax: 512-322-2810
E-mail: leeanne.pacatte@ci.austin.tx.us