The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and its contractor Magnolia River Services, Inc. (MR) are collaborating on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded Sustainable Infrastructure Mapping Initiative (SIMI) program that maps rural water system infrastructure with a population of 3300, free of cost to the system. The program includes funding for the GPS data collection of infrastructure, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of mains, and training & installation of ESRI viewing software. MR uses sub-foot accuracy units and post-processing to map the location of valves, wells, pump stations, master meters, tanks, blow offs, and hydrants.
Within the last few years, ADH noticed the need to help small water systems map their infrastructure. ADH along with its partners proposed the rural water mapping system to EPA. EPA funded the Arkansas rural water mapping project and is treating it as a pilot project with the potential of growth to additional states. ADH and EPA understand the need for GIS & GPS as system management that helps the rural water systems with emergency planning, asset management and long range planning.
System mapping involves a four step process of system assessment, data collection, mapping of mains, and implementation & training. The initial step involves a brief telephone interview/assessment concerning the water system to determine the proposed project schedule for the specific water system. The data collection process starts with water system employee(s) locating all infrastructure to reduce time spent in the field collecting data. After the system has located all infrastructure, MR’s GIS/GPS Specialist along with a water system GPS employee collect sub-foot accuracy data and populate the data fields with information. The data fields for the SIMI project include size, type, a unique identifying number, and the type of asset.
Once field data collection is complete, MR maps mains from a variety of resources. Digitization begins with available paper maps, as-builts or preliminary drawings of the system. Since paper maps and drawings are usually out-of-date or inaccurate, MR uses a variety of techniques to insure that high accuracy maps are produced in a cost-effective manner. In many cases within water systems, there are usually one or two employees who have a strong knowledge of the locations of the systems assets. MR realizes this and uses all resources including verbal communication with the employee(s) while digitizing mains and extracting spatial and descriptive information concerning system assets. To put it frankly, “MR takes the information from the knowledgeable employee’s head and maps it.” MR then takes all the data and draws/digitizes the lines from the info collected into a single useable format.
The final step involves MR staff producing and implementing a useable map along with providing training and documentation to the water system users. MR uses all available data from the State of Arkansas’s GIS geostor website which includes a 2 meter resolution or higher resolution color aerial photo, road layers, lake layers, and if available parcel data. When MR has finished implementing the water system, the rural water systems are left with a useable, printable map of all assets included in the water system. Finally, MR provides training to the rural water systems to properly use the mapping system.
MR is currently finishing year two of the contract with an estimated 59 rural water systems to be mapped by the end of year three. Due to the success of the project on multiple levels, and MR’s dedication to the rural water systems, additional funding has been awarded to the program and MR for year three. Through year one and two, 29 systems have been mapped.
- Year 1 (13 systems): Walker Creek Stateline WSC, Hwy 4 and 24 Water ASSN, Redhill Water ASSN, Concord Water ASSN, Maumelle Water Corp., Haskell Water System, Bee Branch Water, Quitman Waterworks, Keiser Waterworks, Blue Mountain Waterworks, Subiaco City Waterworks, Ash Flat Waterworks, Marked Tree Waterworks.
- Year 2 (16 systems): Beaverfork Waterworks, Huttig Waterworks, Portia Waterworks, Ratcliff Waterworks, Salem Waterworks, Sylamore Valley Waterworks, Wire Road Water System, Wilmont Waterworks, Junction City Waterworks, Antoine Waterworks, St. Francis Regional Water ASSN, Mountainburg Water and Sewer, Hartman Waterworks, Furlow Water ASSN, Huntington Waterworks, Huttig Waterworks
- Year 3 (30 systems anticipated)
Along with the EPA-funded and ADH managed SIMI project mapping, MR provides additional solutions to rural water systems by using the mapping data created through SIMI and adding to the capability. MR offers its capabilities to the water systems through customer meter data collection to incorporate meter reading, modeling to determine short and long range planning, and an editing capability to allow for additional data collection and input. All can be provided to the rural water system through a yearly maintenance contract if the water system is interested.
Due to the performance, end product, and business development of MR, medium to large utility systems have contracted MR to perform similar and additional tasks. Due to the need for all size water and utility systems to have a user-friendly, accurate, and timely water asset management system, MR has developed multiple tiered solutions.
- ArcReader Solution (described above) – limited training, limited tools/capability, mobile viewing, contracted maintenance editing
- Desktop Solution – full ESRI desktop capabilities, custom desktop tools for reporting and tracing,
- Enterprise GIS FLEX Water System Example Server Solution with mobile capabilities using FLEX (Enterprise GIS) – real-time with cell or wireless connection, full scale tools, user-friendly, field inspection & editing, web-based GIS, and mobile system viewing
For more information please contact Dale Jobes ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at Magnolia River Services, Inc. or Paul Michael ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at (256) 773-9420.
“Magnolia River prepared a GIS Mapping Program for our public water utility. The work performed was timely and efficient and the completed project met our every expectation. The staff was very professional and provided thorough training for the everyday use and updating of the program. This program is invaluable to our utility and the cost was extremely reasonable for the quality of work product. The continuing support is exceptional and most helpful. I would without any hesitation recommend Magnolia River and will certainly use their services again if the need arises.” ~ Bill Reinhardt, General Manager, North
Garland County Regional Water District
