ESRI Program Helps Consolidated Utility District Maximize GIS
Consolidated Utility District of Tennessee can now leverage its investment in geographic information system (GIS) technology for field and office operations through participation in ESRI’s Small Utility Enterprise License Agreement (SU-ELA) program, according to a Feb. 18 press release from ESRI.
The district uses GIS to make departmental information accessible across the organization, track fleet vehicles, and support field personnel. The SU-ELA program makes it easy and cost-effective for the water utility to maximize and expand its GIS capabilities.
The SU-ELA program, available to utilities in the United States with 100,000 meters/connections or fewer, provides the district with unlimited deployments of ESRI’s ArcGIS platform to desktop, server, and mobile devices. It includes staff training, maintenance and support for products, and passes to ESRI’s International User Conference. The district plans to extend its use of GIS to enable digital editing of infrastructure information in the field, increase its use of utility network analysis tools, and make access to the GIS easier for users in various departments. The utility provides water and wastewater services to Rutherford County in central Tennessee, with approximately 46,000 meters.
“In today’s economic environment, it is our desire to be as efficient as possible,” said Larry McElroy, the utility’s general manager. “This will enable us to reach some of those goals. We are a growing system and are glad to have unlimited access for our staff.”
Andy Koostra, systems manager for the district, said, “When we heard about the program, we signed up right away. We plan to develop in-the-field editing capabilities for our field personnel who carry tablet PCs.”
The district currently uses ESRI ArcGIS Server technology to provide field technicians with vehicle location and work order information.
For more information on the program, visit www.esri.com/suela.