Enhancing Trust at Cassatt Water through Accurate Valve Mapping

Building confidence at Cassatt Water with valid valve locations has revolutionized how this historic South Carolina water utility operates. Cassatt Water, serving Kershaw, Lee, and parts of Lancaster and Sumter counties in South Carolina, has enhanced its operations by validating valve locations. Originally incorporated in 1969 as a not-for-profit, now operating as Kershaw County and Lee County Regional Water Authority, Cassatt Water supplies drinking water to around 24,000 customers across 764 square miles and over 800 miles of water main. As the system expands and veteran employees retire, integrating modern technology has become crucial for maintaining accuracy and efficiency.

Cassatt Water has undergone significant changes in recent years. For decades, the utility relied on paper mapbooks to capture and reference asset locations. These bulky, two-inch-thick printed CAD drawings were only approximate and time-consuming to use. With the retirement of experienced staff and the increasing demand for modern technology, Cassatt Water needed a better solution. In 2016, the utility digitized its original mapbook and CAD drawings into a geographic information system (GIS) using Esri’s ArcGIS®. However, the data wasn’t geographically accurate, leading to frustration among field crews trying to locate assets quickly, especially during leaks.

The need for valid valve locations became apparent as field crews continued to struggle with inaccurate GIS data. Valves on the map could be tens of feet off from their actual positions, making it difficult to respond quickly to water leaks. This inefficiency highlighted the importance of accurate GIS data for maintenance and emergency responses. Director of Engineering Nathan Ward took on the challenge of improving the GIS accuracy, discovering legacy GPS data that was still inaccurate. Determined to overhaul the GIS, Ward asked for a year to resolve the issues.

Implementing higher accuracy in the field involved extensive training and new technology. Ward installed ArcGIS Field Maps on company-issued Apple devices, allowing field workers to update asset locations or file map change requests in real-time. To further improve accuracy, Ward evaluated and adopted the Arrow Gold+™ GNSS receiver, which provided sub-inch real-time kinematic (RTK) accuracy. This technology, coupled with the South Carolina Real-Time Network (SCRTN) differential correction service, ensured that valve locations were highly precise, significantly improving response times and operational efficiency.

The results of these efforts have been transformative. About 10% of valves have been updated within three months, with the goal of eventually having all assets accurately mapped. This shift has allowed institutional knowledge to be transferred from retiring veterans to new hires more effectively, reducing the need for frequent phone calls and increasing the reliability of the maps. New employees can now add value faster, and the utility can map new construction projects proactively. This integration of old-school experience with new technology has set the stage for future improvements, ensuring that Cassatt Water’s system remains efficient and reliable for the next generation of workers.

By building confidence at Cassatt Water with valid valve locations, the utility has not only improved its operational efficiency but also ensured a more reliable water supply for its customers. This transformation underscores the importance of accurate GIS data and modern technology in managing and maintaining water utilities

Explore the full article on Eos’ website to discover how Cassatt Water’s transformation to a more accurate GIS system has improved efficiency and reliability, benefiting both the utility and its customers. Read more