Mobile Area Water & Sewer System, AL - Geospatial Services

This extensive project involved GPS surveying and GIS data conversion of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System, resulting in a fully validated GIS database in ESRI ArcInfo Geodatabase format. As part of the initial planning process, GRW created a detailed procedures manual with prioritized production areas, since the project required an extremely fast-track schedule.

GRW prepared data so that no translation, processing or reformatting was required by the MAWSS staff. Tasks included the location/elevation of approximately 20,000 water valves, 25,000 sanitary sewer manholes, 15,000 fire hydrants, and 10,000 commercial water meters throughout the MAWSS service area. The accuracy specifications were within 1-meter and elevations within 0.1-foot. Quality Assurance survey checks were made on sample data sets within each production area, using RTK-GPS. All areas were approved as being within contract specifications. Our field crews were equipped with Trimble Pathfinder Pro XRS GPS systems using Trimble Aspen software combined with Panasonic ToughBook computers.

GRW utilized ArcMap ArcEditor software to digitize the features. We developed a set of in-house macros and menus to ensure the consistent symbology and structure, and used the Network Analyst tools within ArcMap to verify that all required features were properly connected to the Geometric Network.

Since this large project was divided into separate production areas, GRW developed a custom process that allowed multiple geodatabases to be merged together without losing the connection to feature-linked annotation records. We used this process to combine five delivery areas into a single, fully functional GeoDatabase.

Throughout the project, GRW published the progress on a secure web site so the client could view the status at their convenience.