Drinking Water GIS Project

A geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.

In general, the term describes any information system that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays geographic information. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries (user-created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations.

The Town of Hebron, in the spring of 2017, partnered with McMahon Associates to develop our GIS system. The first step in any successful GIS system is to have an accurate inventory of all of our water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Before we started this project, the town did not have any complete mapping of any of our water distribution system infrastructure, our first step was to locate all of the water main valves and hand draw a complete map of our water system. Once we had the basic location of our water main valves, McMahon Associates used a GPS/GIS receiver for data collection.

We than located over 99% of all water curb stops (e.g. Buffalo Boxes) and added them to the system. All hydrants were inventoried and given a unique number and also added.

We are continuing to gather data to update exact locations of water mains (offsets, connection points) and all of the sizes and material of pipe. Curb stops we haven’t found yet are also being located.

The Town of Hebron now has a 95% complete water system map, but a GIS system is so much more than a map of assets. Applications can be developed to document and record; hydrant maintenance and flushing (in use), valve exercising, a water main break map (in use), repair and maintenance of water towers and pumps. The Town of Hebron has just begun to explore how GIS can help make sure we can manage your Public Water System.