Severn Trent Water has improved the accuracy of its network asset data by introducing an innovative approach using mobile GIS (Geographical Information System) from Esri UK.
The water company’s asset data is now becoming more complete and reliable, allowing better network management, helping to prepare for Open Water and contributing to Severn Trent offering the lowest average combined household water bills in England and Wales.
The quality of asset data at Severn Trent Water had been declining over time, which was affecting service delivery. Like many water utilities, historic data was not always found to be correct, while the manual method of working with data meant it was not easy to rectify errors, so changes were not being done consistently.
The process relied on using sketches and hand-written annotations, which then had to be returned to the office and digitised before being added to the central asset register. Another downfall of the lengthy system was that errors could sometimes be unwittingly introduced. Projects to improve asset knowledge had also only taken place every few years, to coincide with Asset Management Plan cycles.
Severn Trent’s innovative approach now makes it possible for its 1,100 field workers to confirm, correct or collect asset data for the first time, using Esri UK’s GIS software to automatically update its asset database.
Severn Trent created a programme to promote the benefits of all field engineers, including contractors, taking ownership of asset data. Via showing what had previously gone wrong when asset data was the root cause of a network problem, the programme was designed to help staff understand the consequences of ongoing poor data quality.
Field workers use mobile GIS to generate data in real-time
The field workers are now using a mobile GIS application running on laptops, created using Esri UK’s GIS software, so they can generate asset data on a map in real-time as they carry out work around the network.
The mobile GIS links seamlessly with the central asset register, which has led to 12,000 updates being fed automatically into the database every month, without any manual intervention. The critical updates are immediately visible and usable by Severn Trent’s staff and external users, which total around 4,500 every day. A further 1,200 more complex changes are processed by office-based technicians before being added.
The new working practices have been live for a year and are already dramatically improving the accuracy of asset data. Steve Allen, GIS manager at Severn Trent Water explained:
“The direct benefits of the new approach are measured in terms of time, cost and quality. Nine out of ten updates field workers make, are now instantly visible to all staff – from engineers to senior management and, as this now happens automatically using GIS, it also saves on cost. In addition, data quality is improving all the time, as there is now a robust and reliable system in place to manage this. Overall, the solution involved achieving a fine balance between people, process and technology.”
“By increasing the accuracy of asset data, we have a better view of the network and can manage it more effectively which improves service delivery. From planning, maintenance and emergency response, to achieving water quality and sewer flooding ODIs, having better asset data is invaluable.”
The ability to confirm how often data is correct has also given Severn Trent management a valuable means of measuring its confidence in existing asset information, which was previously not possible.
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