Empowering Field Crews with AM/FM
Wayne Homer City of Tallahassee Utility Services GIS 2602 Jackson Bluff Road Tallahassee, FL 32304 The City of Tallahassee Utilities Services GIS is responsible for the implementation and support of the Utility Enterprise GIS Database. We provide application development and support for Electric, Water, Sewer, Gas, Stormwater Management, and Solid Waste Operations. We serve over 90,000 electric, 62,000 water and sewer, 54,000 solid waste, and 16,000 natural gas customers. Historical Information ln 1985 Hurricane Kate came through Tallahassee and devastated several sections of town. The City’s Electric Department estimated system damage to be approximately $900,000. When the reconstruction was complete, the cost totaled over $2.9 million. This underestimation was primarily due to the lack of adequate system maps and facility inventory information. In 1988 the Electric Department began investigation of AM/FM/GIS technology. The City of Tallahassee, Leon County, and the Leon County Property Appraiser formed an Interlocal Agreement in 1989 to share costs in the development of a common GIS. A central GIS group was formed to develop the base map so the various Interlocal participants could begin data conversion and develop their respective GIS data sets and applications. Base Map Creation Timeline 1986: A fly over to produce dxf vector data was completed. Map layers consist of planimetric and topo. 1990: Interlocal selected GIS vendor and began to design the common GIS 1991: Edgematching of dxf files to knit fly over data into a seamless database 1991: Began Parcel map conversion with external contractor 1992: Interlocal staff underestimated effort to perform adequate quality control on Parcel data. A new in house parcel conversion effort is currently underway with completion estimated in 1998. 1993: The base map data was finally consolidated on one system. 1994: Due to lack of parcel data and the poor condition of existing electric maps, the Electric departm-ent began to develop the MDCS (mobile data collection system) concept and ramp up for a field inventory. 1996: New Digital Ortho Photo (DOP) effort to replace the 1986 base data. 1997: DOP vector data available Existing Electric Data - Single line Drawings In 1990 the Electric Department had limited data to load into the GIS. The existing paper maps for overhead and underground facilities were drawn on parcel maps, which were sometimes not to scale and out of date. Index cards for transformers and other electric facilities had no coordinate location information to tie them spatially to the GIS. Most of the available information was unsuitable for classic data conversion methods such as digitizing or scanning. These circumstances led us to re-think the data development of the GIS project and elect to proceed with a field inventory. This inventory is estimated to require about 2 years of field work with an outside vendor at a cost of over $1 million. One thing that could be done in the short term was to digitize the single line drawings (SLD) into the GIS and begin using the GIS as a map production system to maintain and print map books for the service vehicles. We developed a SLD graphic and data maintenance tool to edit and update the SLD data in the GIS. The overhead facility drawings were entered into the GIS by eye-balling the line work as close as possible to base map features. This was not spatially accurate, but would give us GIS map data that was at least as accurate as the existing paper maps. The resulting data would display the SLD features on the correct side of the street and display circuit types. This new SLD data would not only replace the old map books in the vehicles, it would also help familiarize our users with GIS and its capabilities. By adding the SLD information to the database we could begin using the GIS immediately, and have some data to begin application development and testing. Utility Enterprise Database and GIS Requirements One of the main requirements of the Utility Enterprise Database (UEDB) is to provide field and service personnel with current facility and electric system information. This will enhance customer service, restoration response, and provide for cost effective facilities maintenance. We believe the solution to building a successful UEDB requires 4 basic components.
In a non-digital mapping environment there is a problem with duplication of data sets. We have chosen to develop a single Utility Enterprise Database (UEDB) on an all relational seamless model. A single UEDB is required to eliminate the problems of the proliferation of duplicate data sets. All facility information is maintained through a single user interface. By using a single all relational system we have addressed the issues of data integrity, the real location of the most current data, and have helped ensure user confidence in the database. Additionally, we have multi-user real time concurrent access to information for all Utilities on the same system. The following problems were encountered in development of the GIS database: Sufficient qualified staff Training and skills Employee turnover Division of labor Job classification in public sectors Pet projects overriding required database maintenance It has become clear that significant time and money can be saved by using external GIS application development resources. We have successfully used contract application developers to help design and implement the initial system. As users become accustomed to the capabilities and request changes and enhancements, we can accommodate them with internal resources. This has allowed users with minimal training to use the GIS and get a jump on the learning curve. Utility Enterprise Database Facility Maintenance Tool Following development of the basic UEDB architecture, a simple, easy to use, data maintenance tool was needed. At a high level, this tool must be able to enter, update and manipulate any utility facility and related attribute information. The screen navigation and database maintenance tools should be intuitive and personnel must be able to use the system with a minimum of training. The maintenance tool should have rules based processing to allow clear definition of data requirements such as placement, connectivity, required values and other validity checks. By using the rules based approach, the system can be setup for non-skilled operators to assist in data maintenance with minimum intervention of supervisors. We have implemented the first application for UEDB data maintenance, an EFM (Electric Facilities Management) tool to input, change and maintain GIS information in the office environment. This tool is used by engineers, data collection crews, quality assurance/control, and other supervisory personnel. Maintenance tools for Water, Sewer, Gas, and other Utilities are under development and will be brought on line in 1997. Work Order Management System The Work Order Management System is the logical place to organize the business processes needed to drive data entry and maintenance of the GIS. At the highest level, it must ensure changes made to any facilities are recorded in the GIS database as quickly as possible. Additionally, it should track and record work activities and related customer information (such as, customer cut-on’ s/cut-offs, outages, trouble calls, restoration, new construction, and day to day facility maintenance). To achieve a fully integrated UEDB, the Work Order Management System will be integrated to other management information systems like GIS, Customer Information System FMS (Financial Management System), PerPay (Personnel and Payroll), Purchasing and Inventory. As this integration will take some time to complete (estimated 1998 implementation) we have had to develop an interim solution for data collection. The TTS (Task Tracking System) is an interim work tracking system to be used until a complete Work Order Management System is in place. To allow a smooth integration of EFM and the MDCS (Mobile Data Collection System), the TTS is being developed to simply track what goes on in the field and ensure changes to facilities are put back into the GIS database the same day. It will be used by engineers, service and construction crews, and management within each of the six operating utilities (water, sewer, gas, electric, storm water management, and solid waste). The system will increase efficiency by identification of performance problems and provide management with greater reporting capabilities. With TTS in place, Work Order Management System (WOMS) development can continue while data collection and GIS database maintenance begins. We believe it will be a smooth transition to integrate MDCS and Task Tracking data into final GIS/WOMS by using Oracle and other standard development tools in our current development efforts. MDCS - Mobile Data Collection System The MDCS is a set of applications that run on a rugged pen based microcomputer. The applications are used to collect and maintain data on all electric facilities and water and sewer infrastructure. The pen computer system is designed to be used in the field. Since that is where work is accomplished, we feel that is where work management tracking and facility management should begin. Given the base map situation and existing facilities data, we chose to develop a MDCS for data collection and maintenance. The tool will also be used in the quality control process to verify field inventory data that will be collected by contractors and internal staff. Internal users of the MDCS will be the engineers, service crews, data collection crews, Q-WQC personnel, supervisors, field facility locators, inspection personnel and construction crews. With a UEDB populated with current facility and customer information, the MDCS becomes an extension of the UEDB to bring field crews access to data that was previously unavailable. We believe this will have the most significant impact on personnel productivity, customer response times -- plus ensure an accurate, up-to-date UEDB. Listed are the existing MDCS applications and some of the capabilities. Electric GIS facility data collection and maintenance for all facilities. Data collection, quality assurance and quality control to check and verify data collected by contractors during the field inventory. SLD (replaces map books in the vehicles) Red Line tool for SLD and map markup and correction. Plus reporting of new field problems. Basic map display and navigation including, zoom to customer, address, intersection, substation, or any facility. Zoom to scale, plus the ability to turn on and off base map layers. The MDCS has an integrated real time sub-meter (30-40 cm accuracy) Differential GPS for spatial positioning of facilities. While you have a map displayed on the screen there is a floating dot to show your current position in real time. The DGPS updates your location every second, enabling a constant real time GPS fix for any facility you wish to map. In Tallahassee, there is a relatively dense tree coverage throughout the community. All GPS receivers experience problems obtaining accurate positional fixes when trees obscure the line of sight between the receiver and the GPS satellites. We developed a laser range finder interface to position facilities under heavy tree cover and also help in the ‘urban canyons’ of the down town areas. The user stands in an open area to get an accurate DGPS fix. This establishes an origin to begin using the laser. The laser range finder is pointed at a facility such as a pole and the trigger is pulled. The application takes the angle and distance information from the laser and combines it with the DGPS fix. This calculation places the pole on the base map in the correct location within one second. We developed the interface to the Task Tracking System to manage all field activities until Work Order Management is developed. The MDCS has the capability to perform unattended hands off, upload and download (synchronization) of facility and work order information. This will ensure that all users have the latest information possible. The pen units are docked every afternoon and new data from the field is uploaded to the UEDB. New data from the UEDB is also downloaded at night, back to the MDCS, so each user has the most current facility and customer data. Data formats currently supported are .dxf, . dwg, .tif, .grd, .pic, GINA, Oracle, DBase IV Theses are a few of the planned applications for 1997.
Conclusions With the advent of affordable real time DGPS and laser range finding equipment and the development of the Mobile Data Collection System, the Utility Services Department will be able to effectively maintain and support the UEDB. Current and accurate information, that is readily available for the field service personnel, will have the greatest impact in the areas of UEDB maintenance and provide enhanced customer service. | ||
|
|