Water supply

Basic (Geodetic) module

Creates and maintains basic spatial records and attribute descriptions of the pipelines, buildings and equipment of the water supply system. This module is an upgrade of a Desktop Viewer and therefore has all of the same functionalities as that module.

The water supply system is described with over 40 spatial layers: point, line or polygon layers. The description encompasses not only layers with pipes, equipment, and facilities of the water supply, but also allows recording of associated data such as signal cables and equipment, cathodic protection, and ultimately the layer in which users can log the data errors.

When entering data, it is possible to predefine the values of particular attributes in each layer, and for each attribute for which this was possible, to create lists, that is, catalogues.

For attributes whose values are used in the quality control process, "locked" lists are created, that is, lists which cannot be altered.

The graphical editor is highly efficient, with many specialized commands embedded. One of these is the command for a complex movement which enables the movement of certain nodes, for example, by moving a T-piece, its related three pipes and installed valves are also moved.

The greatest value and functionality, which competitors’ solutions do not offer, consists of the complete control of attribute descriptions and quality controls of logical data input. There is no type of pipe, equipment or building where the functional correctness of the spatial position in relation to other parts of the system, is not controlled. The user’s controls point out all incorrect data entered, directing him toward all locations where faults must be resolved. The data input process cannot be completed, in other words, data cannot be stored on the server, before all detected faults have been corrected. There are more than 50 controls built into the system, that function like a series of increasingly finer sieves that gradually filter out all deficiencies.

The necessity of this approach arises from the fact that insufficient or unverified data should not serve as the working basis of all of the planned modules which will later use that data in quite complex procedures. Perhaps the most illustrative example is the need for the software to determine all valves that must be closed when a fault is reported and listing all of the consumers who will be left temporarily without water. Any error in data completely prevents this procedure, or even worse, will cause the wrong solution to be recommended.

The module enables simultaneous changing of data by multiple users, but without the possibility that these changes overlap. The procedure is based on defining a polygon of interest, i.e. specifying an area in which the user wants to modify the data. The specified area is reserved for only one person. There is a direct attribute editing, i.e., attribute editing without having to define the area of interest, is available as well. This of course applies only to that part of attribute description that is not essential for the control process.

In a separate part of the module, the user can, in advance, show and describe by attributes, all types of piping and equipment, so that the attribute description can later be reduced to only the choice of the appropriate type of piping and equipment.

This is a basic and initial module which is required for the establishment of the technical information system of the water supply. The rest of the modules rely on data created by the basic module while working, and without it, they cannot function.