本文讨论了在供水应用中使用地理信息系统（GIS）的优势。为密歇根州比彻水区（Beecher Water district）一个小型公用事业区（6104个客户）的维护操作开发了一个GIS。本研究中提出的GIS应用程序设计阐明了GIS应用程序特有的三个特征:相关物理和环境过程的准确表示；数据录入和编辑的总成本为45%，项目数据录入和编辑的总成本为45%；以及数据的空间性质（这迫使人们决定位置和属性数据所需的准确度，以及数据层的操作）。 研究结果准确描述了供水过程，包括基础设施的水力特性和服务要求。包括12个参考文献、表格和图表。

This article discusses the advantages of using a geographic information system (GIS) in water supply applications. A GIS was developed for maintenance operations at a small (6,104 customers) utility district, the Beecher Water District in Michigan. The GIS application design presented in this study illustrates three characteristics unique to GIS applications: accurate representation of the relevant physical and environmental processes; the high relative cost of data modeling and data preparation (data acquisition, conversion, entry, and editing typically account for 45-80 percent of the total project budget); and, the spatial nature of the data (which forces decisions about the degree of accuracy needed in positional and attribute data and about manipulation of data layers). The results of the study give an accurate depiction of the water supply processes, including the hydraulic characteristics of the infrastructure and the service requirements. Includes 12 references, tables, figures.