6 Drinking Water Supply Systems—Evolution Towards Efficiency
207
– extension and rehabilitation of water networks in the municipality of Dej.
The SOP ENV program also included an additional acquisition project, financed
from savings from the EIB credit [3]. The total value of the acquisitions was around
10 million euros.
6.3 GIS Technology
Geographic Information System (GIS) is one of the most revolutionary and exciting
technologies of the last decade in our field of activity [16]. In short, it is a system
designed for storing, analyzing and displaying spatial data.
Any GIS integrates five main components: hardware, software, methods, data
and people. People are by far the most important. Servers, desktop PCs, software,
networks, routers, storage or wireless devices play a big role in the effective deployment of GIS. However, the physical system must be coordinated with procedures
and workflows. Utility companies have to decide how their people are deployed and
when and where data needs to be accessed [8].
According to a classic definition formulated in 1990 by the National Center for
Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA), GIS purpose is “to facilitate the
management, manipulation, analysis, modeling, representation and display of georeferenced data to solve complex problems regarding planning and management of
resources”.
In general, modern GIS technology should be capable of answering questions
such as:
• Where is …?
• How long is …?
• When did it …?
• Which … is near …?
• What would happen if …?
• Can we combine … with data from …?
• What has changed since …?
In the past, the utility industry has always relied on hardcopy maps to manage
facilities, so it was normal that electricity, gas or water companies should be among
the first users of digital mapping software [12]. The first computer-driven achievements during the 1970s and early 1980s were focused around producing digital maps,
those systems being called Automated Mapping/Facilities Management (AM/FM).
Promising, but very expensive at that time. Pretty maps worth nothing without an
active involvement in the operational activities. GIS applications should make the
routine job functions easier to perform, which will improve productivity and reduce
costs [16].
Nowadays, FM applications may be grouped into the following categories [12]:
207
– extension and rehabilitation of water networks in the municipality of Dej.
The SOP ENV program also included an additional acquisition project, financed
from savings from the EIB credit [3]. The total value of the acquisitions was around
10 million euros.
6.3 GIS Technology
Geographic Information System (GIS) is one of the most revolutionary and exciting
technologies of the last decade in our field of activity [16]. In short, it is a system
designed for storing, analyzing and displaying spatial data.
Any GIS integrates five main components: hardware, software, methods, data
and people. People are by far the most important. Servers, desktop PCs, software,
networks, routers, storage or wireless devices play a big role in the effective deployment of GIS. However, the physical system must be coordinated with procedures
and workflows. Utility companies have to decide how their people are deployed and
when and where data needs to be accessed [8].
According to a classic definition formulated in 1990 by the National Center for
Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA), GIS purpose is “to facilitate the
management, manipulation, analysis, modeling, representation and display of georeferenced data to solve complex problems regarding planning and management of
resources”.
In general, modern GIS technology should be capable of answering questions
such as:
• Where is …?
• How long is …?
• When did it …?
• Which … is near …?
• What would happen if …?
• Can we combine … with data from …?
• What has changed since …?
In the past, the utility industry has always relied on hardcopy maps to manage
facilities, so it was normal that electricity, gas or water companies should be among
the first users of digital mapping software [12]. The first computer-driven achievements during the 1970s and early 1980s were focused around producing digital maps,
those systems being called Automated Mapping/Facilities Management (AM/FM).
Promising, but very expensive at that time. Pretty maps worth nothing without an
active involvement in the operational activities. GIS applications should make the
routine job functions easier to perform, which will improve productivity and reduce
costs [16].
Nowadays, FM applications may be grouped into the following categories [12]: