The information systems that water supply companies use for management purposes
are equipped with a variety of increasingly sophisticated tools such as
geographic information systems (GIS), supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA), work flow management and mathematical models. These tools must be
integrated if they are to be truly efficient. While a GIS system can be used for
infrastructure management purposes, all of the information available on existing
maps must be checked and verified. However, since distribution systems are
dynamic and change as maintainance and repairs are conducted, it is not always
possible to guarantee that the physical infrastructure of the network has not
undergone changes. A telemetry system (SCADA) can be used to provide real-time
information about system dynamics such as water flow, pumping station operations
and valve control. Finally, a work flow management system can be used to track
maintenance and repair work. This paper describes the successful integration of
these three tools by the Canal de Isabel II in Madrid, Spain. The Canal de Isabel
II has established a GIS-based system for controlling its distribution network.
The system incorporates all the data received from the SCADA and work flow
management systems, making it available to contingency management and customer
information services and using it in the mathematical models that analyze the
network. Includes figures.