Geographical Information System (GIS)
3.1. INTRODUCTION:
An information system may be formally defined as a combination of human and technical resources together with a set of organizing procedures that produce information in support of some managerial requirement.
This can be described as a system having a number of attributes, both spatial and non-spatial, which must be organized such that it will have utility when retrieved.
3.2. GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM:
Geographic information system is an organized collection of computer hardware and software designed to efficiently create, manipulate, analyze and display all types of geographically or spatial referenced data. A GIS allows complex spatial operations that are very difficult to do manually.
An information system is a chain of processes from data acquisition, processing, analysis, to decision making. It has a full range of functions to achieve its objectives through measurements, development forecasting and decision-making.
The general features of an integrated approaches for urban infrastructure development approach are,
- Optimum use of existing resources.
- Co-ordination potential development resources.
- Enhancing effective integration and decentralization of sectored urban development programs.
Feasibility of this new system has been discussed in the present study with experiences from water supply system for the City of Palmira in Columbia where the system is being used for various applications like Operational, Commercial, Fraud reduction and Administration purposes and Tunisia Water Supply System uses this system to provide drinking water for the country's urban and rural areas, irrigation and industrial water supply, flood and low flow management, and hydropower generation.
3.3. APPLICATION OF GIS:
Geographic information system (GIS) technology can be used for scientific investigations, resource management, and development planning. GIS uses are primarily government related, town planning, local authority and public utility management, environmental, resource management, engineering, business, marketing and distribution.
For example, a GIS might allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response times in the event of natural disaster; GIS might be used to find wetlands that need protection from pollution. Town planners use GIS to keep track of property details of parcels of land, maintenance and of roads, drainage system, electrification and pipelines.
3.4. NEED FOR GIS FOR THE THESIS:
- To plan for water supply in the future keeping in view the rate of increase in population vis-à-vis rate of depletion of resources.
- As the system is becoming more complex due to the take over of all the municipalities there is a tremendous pressure on HMWS&SB authorities. Therefore, it is important to develop comprehensive spatial areas and link them to user friendly GIS’s for efficiency in planning as well as managing water resources.
- G.I.S have its utility at all stages of Planning, which are:
- Formulation of strategies and identification of projects,
- Evaluation of programs and schemes,
- Selection of alternative solutions,
- Implementation of decisions,
- Monitoring of Urban development projects.
3.4.1. PRESENT PROBLEMS:
- Outdated map information.
- Unread meters.
- Manual customer database.
- Illegal water consumption.
- Transmission losses.
3.5. STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
- Management of data of water pipes and network devices
- Planning of maintenance operation, maintenance logistics
- Documentation of maintenance history
- Analysis of non-revenue water
- Analysis of consumption information
- Export of data for network modeling
- Helping to analyze investment needs
- Visualization of network data using attributes of the features
3.6. CASE STUDIES:
Feasibility of the system has been discussed with experiences from water supply system for the City of Palmira in Columbia where the system is being used for various applications like Operational, Commercial, Fraud reduction and Administration purposes. Tunisia Water Supply System uses the system to provide drinking water for the country's urban and rural areas, irrigation and industrial water supply, flood and low flow management, and hydropower generation.
3.6.1. CITY OF PALMIRA (COLUMBIA):
| Name of the City | - Palmira |
| GIS used to manage | - water supply, & growth challenges |
| The Team | - AutoDesk & and a French company |
Figure 3.1. Water Supply Network For Palmira In Arc View (GIS)
The application services the following areas:
- Operational management
- Commercial management
- Fraud reduction
- Management of cuts in water supply
THE DATABASE
- Integrated cartography with a technical database that details the drinking water system (360 km)
- Can easily measure customer’s water consumption meters
- Track unpaid bills, and identify potential fraud
- Calculates water demand based on projections of population growth and consumption patterns.
3.6.2. A CASE OF TUNISIA WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM:
- The system comprises an 18-reservoir network with both serial and parallel Interconnections, as well as extensive water transfer and conveyance subsystems.
- The primary purpose of this complex water resource system is to provide drinking water for the country's urban and rural areas, irrigation and industrial water supply, flood and low flow management, and hydropower generation.
Figure 3.2. Gis Applications For Water Supply System.
3.7. CONCLUSIONS:
Over the past two decades, the advancement in the information technology has been tremendous and its potentials have been understood in the proceeds of planning and development management. Hence it is up to the Planners to utilize this technology for effective Planning and Management.