Analysis of the current state of GIS in water companies
Workshop
The project “Specialist Assistance for Slovak Regional Water Companies” has entered the stage when its resolution is gradually transforming itself into concrete output for the water companies.
The analysis of the state of GIS in water companies is one of the concrete pieces of output. It was carried out as part of the task 4.3 Strategy for creating a plan and for applying GIS. As well as evaluating the current state of GIS in individual water companies, as part of the resolution of this task we prepared for each water company/ project beneficiary a proposal for a strategy for developing a geographical information system, part of which is also a basic proposal for an action plan for its realisation. The action plan includes a proposal for a timetable and the financial aspects of the realisation.
As part of the evaluation of the current state of GIS, the followed were assessed:
- state of technical equipment,
- state of human resources and organisational equipment,
- state of the data base,
- state of technological equipment,
- state of GIS from the point of view of the support of primary processes.
The OPSRVS project assumes the contribution with a specific solution for the development of a GIS system for each water company. This is why in order to carry out the above-mentioned tasks, the project experts familiarised themselves with the requirements and ideas of the water companies for further GIS development, which they assessed by taking into account the project possibilities and maximal benefit of realisation for further system development based on the current position of the water company.
A workshop was organised to present the results of the Analysis of the state of GIS, which took place on July 19th 2007 in the hotel Academic in Zvolen. To fill in the problem details, the presentations of the results of the GIS analysis carried out for all the project beneficiaries (Ing. M. Zemčák, Ing. I. Schindler – NKE OPSRVS) were extended with findings from the analysis of management information systems (Mgr. P. Bajan, NKE OPSRVS, Centire, s.r.o.), which has been carried out so far in three water companies. The workshop participants highly praised the presented results which provided water companies with the opportunity to exchange experiences and compare each other in this area.
As well as presenting the results of the audit, the workshop programme also included the provision of information on possible approaches to the integration of information systems (Ing. M. Zemčák – NKE OPSRVS, M. Trávniček – Intergraph ČR s.r.o.) and the preparation of implementation rules to put the European INSPIRE directive into practice (V. Stromček – Intergraph SR s.r.o.).
At the presentation, there were certain opinions on the necessity of supporting the primary and supporting processes with certain IS solution. Current IS solutions for the water companies exist from several suppliers. Each process takes information at entry level, and passes it on to the next process at exit level. In the event that these solutions are not mutually compatible (in particular the compatibility of data architecture), or integrated (linked), there is a unwanted loss of information in the course of the process, and thus a loss of efficient support for the process using an IS solution. In this case, the information is only used for a local process (or part of a process), but if there is repeated demand for its use, it is usually difficult to find one’s way back to the information. At this point, an unwanted solution is often taken on board: information is recorded once more (in duplicate) in the company in several places, thus leading to the following negative results:
- several versions of the same information, where it is difficult to find out which is current
- the absence of an information guarantor, since the source of information is linked to several places at the same time.
In order to limit these complications, it is indispensable to carry out the connection and integration of information systems. For the integration of systems, it has to be said that the more system suppliers there are in the company, the more expensive their integration becomes. The clear trend is to reduce the number of suppliers to a minimum. Practice shows that the integration of systems is indispensable for the support of the company’s main processes.
It is a great advantage to store data in a joint database – strategic data orientation.
The dual management of information on graphs and descriptive attributes is from the current point of view a solution behind its time. In a similar way, this also applies to solving partial tasks using isolated applications, which brings complications and generates further costs during system maintenance, as well as causing problems with maintaining the topicality and reliability of the data presented. Current solutions are suitable at the moment, but SDO technology is pushing its way forwards in standards defined by the OPEN GIS consortium. The advantage of such a solution is that by changing the system, which is supported by a given standard, there can be no loss of data (finances are saved for the conversion of data). The technological benefits of solutions based on this can be divided into the following areas:
- standard environment of information administration and processing,
- reliability and high performance,
- single administration of the system,
- standardisation of basic software,
- simplicity, user’s view of the application,
- company integration.
For the further direction of GIS development in individual water companies, action plans for GIS development were processed, including both the time and financial aspects. At the end of the workshop, steps to carry out the next phase of this task were presented, whose aim is to ensure for water companies the implementation of the proposed part of the geographical information system in accordance with the prepared action plan for the realisation of the strategic direction of GIS, since this is one of the decisive parts of the information system and documents for efficiently carrying out operational and development activities. .
The working meeting was attended by representatives of the management of the water companies, specialist employees ensuring GIS in water companies and employees of the Ministry of the Environment SR.
The active approach of participants and prolific discussion during the whole event, as well as helpful cooperation in the analysis of the state is proof of that that the given problem is highly topical for water companies.
E. Rajczyková
Specialist Assistance for Slovak Regional Water Companies
Activities carried out as part of the project
Activities under preparation