Digital Memory for 400 Kilometers of Sewer Network – City of Salzburg Relies on a Tailor-Made GIS Solution
Das Kanal- und Gewässeramt der Stadt Salzburg profitiert in der täglichen Arbeit von einer kundenspezifischen Software-Lösung von rmDATA.
Im rmDATA Informationssystem werden auch Daten aus Videobefahrungen gespeichert. Hier ein Beispiel einer Rohrinspektion des Sammlers in der Saint-Julien Straße mittels Drohnenbefliegung 2022.
Freude bei allen Beteiligten nach dem erfolgreichen Projektabschluss.
The City of Salzburg's Sewer and Water Management Department faced the challenge of efficiently planning, constructing, and operating a 400-kilometer-long main sewer network. The annual renewal of 2-3 kilometers of sewer lines as part of a major rehabilitation program, in particular, required a high-performance information system. The city found the solution in a customized GIS software from rmDATA.
The Basis of Daily Work: A Central Information System
"The GIS has become our central information system – essentially our digital memory," reports Felix Bauer, Head of the GIS and Planning Department. "All users in the Sewer and Water Management Department utilize the solution in every step of their work. It forms the basis of our daily operations."
The Foundation of Daily Work: A Central Information System
"The GIS has become our central information system – essentially our digital memory," reports Felix Bauer, Head of the GIS and Planning Department. "All users in the Sewer and Water Management Department utilize the solution in every step of their work. It forms the basis of our daily operations."
The Solution: An Integrated System of Three Components
The implemented solution comprises three core components: the rmDATA GeoDesktop GIS workstation for maintaining the data, the Inventory Manager for managing asset, condition, and maintenance data, and the integrated web GIS GeoWeb. Particularly valuable for daily work: The software stores data from video inspections, including 360-degree panoramic photos, and enables standardized data exchange in the ISYBAU format via a central enterprise database.
Proven Advantages in Everyday Work
The advantages of the solution become apparent in daily work: During planning, the GIS quickly provides important information such as the age and condition of the sewers. Planned projects are defined and managed as construction lots within the GIS. After construction work or expansions, new survey data is automatically incorporated, and the database is updated. "Only then does the digital life of the sewer begin," explains Bauer.
User-friendliness as the Key to Success
The department head is particularly impressed by the system's user-friendly operation and ease of learning. He also sees the ability to work from anywhere thanks to the web-based solution and the system's expandability as key advantages. The individually tailored digital mapping of sewer operations and the realistic representation of the sewer network, including all special structures, make the system an indispensable tool.
Partnership as a Success Factor
The collaboration with rmDATA, an Austrian provider, proved to be a stroke of luck. "The rmDATA solution is a joint development. We especially appreciate having a direct contact person who responds to our needs. The collaboration has been consistently solution-oriented and positive," Bauer summarizes.
Looking ahead, the department is already planning the next step in its digitalization efforts: rmDATA Mobile will be used to coordinate work assignments and document completed tasks directly on-site. This mobile extension will literally take task management "to the road."
Project Completion
The project for the implementation of the specific information system for the City of Salzburg was successfully completed in autumn 2024. Since then, the Salzburg City Sewerage and Water Management Department has benefited in its daily work from a customized information system provided by rmDATA.
Information, Documentation, and Maintenance
The GIS now serves as the central information system for internal and external inquiries, containing all relevant data. The rmDATA software handles the documentation, maintenance, and provision of information for the entire sewer network, including all relevant details. The project implementation was a challenge for both parties, but the approach was always solution-oriented. Felix Bauer, Head of the GIS and Planning Department, agrees:
“It was a long but ultimately successful journey together, and everyone can be proud of the result. The final day was a fitting conclusion and highly valuable, especially due to the honest and respectful exchange.”
“The rmDATA solution is a collaborative development. We are pleased to have chosen an Austrian company where we have a direct contact person who listens to our needs. In short: I find the collaboration solution-oriented and view it very positively.”
Do you have a similar requirement for your sewer and water supply network?
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About the Salzburg City Sewerage and Water Management Department
The Salzburg City Sewerage and Water Management Department is a central municipal agency with diverse responsibilities for the city's infrastructure and environment.
The department's main tasks include the planning and construction of the city's main sewer system, as well as its ongoing operation. These operational activities are carried out by the city's maintenance department with its specialized divisions for sewers, waterways, and mountain maintenance.
Furthermore, the department is responsible for the city's waterways and mountains, insofar as these are owned by the municipality. Here, too, the city's maintenance department handles the practical tasks of care, maintenance, and upkeep.
