As a municipal decision maker, it can be difficult to manage the time, resources, and funding necessary to navigate the many moving parts involved in making your department (and your community) function effectively and efficiently, Fortunately, there are tools available to help make some of the most difficult tasks a little easier. Tools like your GIS.
Here are three ways a quality GIS can save you and your team time and money by helping you make more cost-effective decisions, lessen the burden caused by regulatory permit paperwork, and ease the lengthy grant application process.
PRIORITIZE AND PLAN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
The right GIS can help you make better, more cost-effective community maintenance decisions. It may not be a crystal ball, but because a quality GIS enables your team to visualize community assets in a spatial layout, you can prioritize and plan infrastructure improvements more quickly and efficiently.
WISLR Road Rating Data in GIS
EXAMPLE: If your community is budgeting for roadway improvements and reconstruction, your GIS will allow you to:
Visualize your latest road rating data and prioritize your pavement management plan accordingly
Allow you to see additional aging infrastructure that may need repairs or replacements
Save time and money by planning infrastructure maintenance and repairs based on placement and condition (i.e., patch or replace a damaged water main while working on the road above when it’s scheduled for reconstruction)
SIMPLIFY, TRACK, AND REPORT DATA FOR PERMIT COMPLIANCE
Working toward permit compliance can put an incredible strain on your community. Your GIS can ease the burden that often accompanies the permitting process by streamlining and simplifying your tracking and reporting system.
Visualize and Track Info Necessary for MS4 Permit Compliance
EXAMPLE: Managing your storm water assets in your GIS allows you to gather the information needed to track and report on storm sewer system and water quality device maintenance and repair as mandated by Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits. This includes:
Erosion control inspections
Storm water facility inspections
Illicit discharge detection
Tracking pollutant trading and/or adaptive management projects throughout a watershed
Linking approved maintenance plans and/or historic inspection records to ponds and other BMPs
SET YOURSELF UP FOR GRANT FUNDING SUCCESS
The grant application process can be costly and time consuming, especially if the information and data you need to secure essential funding for your infrastructure projects is outdated or hard to find. Enter: your GIS. When you maintain your community assets in GIS, you have instant access to digital, robust community data whenever you need it.
EXAMPLE: If you’re applying for a Wisconsin DNR Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water Management (UNPS) grant, your storm water plan will need to include updated information about your current system. Your GIS should give you easy access to the data you need, including:
Visualize Necessary Grant Data
Storm sewer system geometry with flow arrows facing in correct direction (attribute data such as pipe size is always a plus)
Storm water facilities/devices (i.e. ponds, permeable pavement, proprietary devices, underground storage)
Grass Swales
Outfall locations
Land use
Reachsheds and water quality basins
Documentation pertaining to any storm water facilities/devices (i.e. main agreements, asbuilts, etc.)
Any documentation from prior storm water projects for your community
Maps/asbuilts of your storm system
Documentation of reachsheds/water quality basins within the limits of your community
LEARN MORE
This is far from an exhaustive list of great ways a quality GIS can make life easier for you and your team. Contact one of our GIS experts today to learn more.
Don’t currently have a GIS provider? Or unhappy with your current system? We’ve got just the solution for you. Click here to learn about AssetAlly, the GIS solution that integrates all of your community assets into a single, intuitive, digital tool.
