Nobel Systems Case Study: City of South Gate Public Works Department

The City of South Gate, CA, like most municipalities, faces considerable challenges managing and maintaining aging infrastructure, critical assets, increasing costs from special water districts, and the need to streamline workflow process in both the office and field environment.

In 2016 the city’s Public Works Department contracted with Nobel Systems to update the city’s water and wastewater GIS databases in support of a citywide water and wastewater hydrology master plan. The city’s Public Works Department realized updating the GIS data was only the first step, but more importantly, the way data was collected, managed, and utilized had to change.

“The deciding factor to go with Nobel was the mobile solutions and Internet-based Google features,” Chris Castillo, South Gate Water Division Manager.

The overall goal of the Public Works Department is to provide the highest level of water quality possible and services to residents, with a responsibility for maintaining critical infrastructure, and the general well-being of the community which it serves.

Currently, South Gate offers the public online services, allowing people to check account balances, pay their water bills, or schedule recurring payments via an automated system.

What is the City’s Current Infrastructure?

The City of South Gate’s services extends to providing portable groundwater to customers while maintaining responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the water system. The system includes 135 miles of pipeline, with more than 14,200 water meters and service lines, 8 active well sites, 2 treatment facilities, and a combined 14.32 million gallons of storage capacity. The city also has four water facilities with booster stations.

The Water Department decided to develop a case study to assess the current state of affairs. They found the water system was in good shape but decided to implement an aggressive Capital Improvement Program (CIP), to be managed with council support.

What is the CIP?

The CIP is a foundation where life and business exist and thrive in the City of South Gate. By addressing areas of critical improvement, the city can move forward.

The Public Works Department’s aggressive strategy aims to maintain, repair, expand, and modernize the infrastructure of the city. This will improve water quality, operational and maintenance workflows while reducing environmental impacts. They also seek to address safety, quality-of-life, and overall service to the community.

How Is Nobel Involved and How Did They Help?

Nobel Systems is a privately held company which specialize in Cloud Technology, Software as a Service (SaaS), and the Internet of Things (IoT) Technology.

The company delivers real-world solutions aligned with its existing network and devices, collecting data to effectively address common challenges faced by the public and private sectors.

Nobel was brought on board by the City of South Gate to leverage the company’s GIS Solutions to address the underlying issues at hand. Utilizing its GIS SaaS technology, Nobel provided its GeoViewer mobile technology and helped the City of South Gate to streamline field workflow processes.

Nobel has a great GIS system with multiple benefits and system tools to maintain water records and programs. We are currently using GIS for key maintenance programs,” Chris Castillo, Water Division Manager.

Nobel DigMark & Leaks Collection

The DigMark module leverages cloud technology allowing field staff to view and/or work on USA DigAlert tickets directly from a mobile device.

This eliminates the need for redundant data entry as well as paper, reducing the city’s carbon footprint on the environment. Field staff can share relevant photos and use a synchronization framework to facilitate effective work management.

“We now have a seamless process of updating our maps with system corrections or major projects,”  Castillo said.

The Leaks Collection module allows staff to collect and record information in the field related to water leaks, which is stored on the server and accessible from the desktop and mobile device.

Once users have filled out information related to their work order, the status can be paired with Nobel’s Isolation module. The Isolation Module allows for quick water-shutoff analysis (Event impact), supporting the entire workflow process from leak collection, pipe repair, to hydrant flushing.

We now have a seamless process of updating our maps with system corrections or major projects.

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To learn more about Nobel Systems, visit its company Website at Nobel-Systems.com. For more information about the City of Southgate, visit CityofSouthGate.org.