City of Opelika a step ahead on GPS mapping of water system

Alabama will soon start digitally mapping public water systems across the state using a global positioning system, according to a statement from Gov. Bob Riley’s office Monday.

But Opelika Utilities is already a step ahead, General Manager Dan Hilyer said.

“We are actually doing that in-house as we speak,” Hilyer said Monday. “We have a system in place and technicians in the field that are GPSing our entire system and all aspects.”

Opelika has been doing this for several years off and on, he said, but they started mapping on a daily basis about six months ago.

The results will help with facility management, informing the utilities company of exactly what they have where, he said.

“Over the years, we have had drawings of this piece of the system and that piece of the system, but we don’t have a unified map of the entire system, and the GPS allows us to do that and be very, very accurate with it,” Hilyer said.

The mapping will help everyone who depends on the water system, he said. The fire department will be able to see exactly where hydrants are located, and meter readers will be able to pinpoint each meter.

“As (other departments) do planning, they’ll know where our system is and try to avoid any conflicts as far as placing other facilities in the same spot,” he said.

The GPS system itself cost $24,000, and personnel costs vary depending on how long a certain mapping task takes, he said.

The governor’s statement says the statewide mapping program will, among other things, enable water systems to cooperate and share water in times of crisis.

“Once (the Opelika mapping) is complete, should the state need the information, we’ll be glad to provide that to them,” Hilyer said.

Auburn Water Resource Management Director Laura Koon said she had not seen the governor’s statement Monday.

The City of Auburn’s GPS section of its Web site (http://www.auburnalabama.org) displays the location of the fire hydrants in the city.

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