Wastewater 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 sanitary collection system infrastructure. The maps were not accurate or nonexistent. The most accurate map was from 1969.
The first step was to inventory and identify all of our sanitary manholes. We developed a manhole numbering system, which divided the sanitary system into sub-basins. We identified the size and material of the pipe going into and out of each manhole.
Next, we created a hand drawn map showing the sanitary collection system. Using this information, we had McMahon Associates come in and use a GPS/GIS receiver to gather the data and incorporate it into the GIS system.
Using the data from the cleaning and videoing of all of the towns vitrified clay pipe collection system we were able to identify and locate the sewer taps of each property (customer). This has been added to the GIS map.
The town now has an 80% complete map of our collection system. Our goal is to inspect and record the remaining 20% of the collection system, so we can have an 100% accurate map.
GIS doesn’t stop with just a map, applications are being developed to include manhole inspections, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of sewer lines. We have just begun to explore how GIS can help the Town of Hebron manage your wastewater treatment and collection system.
