BACKGROUND
Collecting condition assessment data on manholes and pipelines has become standard practice for municipal utilities. However, the management of the collected data and integration of the data for sewer asset management decision use have remained challenging. Data interoperability is an issue as different data collection applications have been used and different data formats exist. Data quality remains questionable since no standard data quality assurance process is implemented. In addition, the storage of the data has been siloed, making it difficult to locate necessary data. Because of these issues, an integrated data management tool for wastewater system condition data subject to rigorous quality assurance can help municipalities proactively manage their assets based on real-time data.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at Oklahoma State University have developed a web-based wastewater data management application, utilizing the Geographic Information System (GIS) as the central data access point for users to retrieve key information, such as Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) data, closed-circuit TV (CCTV) inspection data, manhole inspection data, sewer line rapid assessment tool (SL-RAT) data, and work order data, to give data users a holistic picture about the asset. This application gives decision-makers a deeper understanding of the municipality’s wastewater assets. A data quality assurance module utilizes artificial intelligence to detect problematic data records and resolve data issues. The database module within the application shows all data stored, including video and image data, Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) data, and any other data related to wastewater assets. Other modules such as the Data Exchange module, Report module, Work-Order module, and GIS module give users more freedom on how they can utilize their data. This application solves many of the issues seen in the industry by handling multiple possible data formats, conducting rigorous data quality assurance using AI, and storing important data in a singular database. The AI-enabled virtual assistant is created by leveraging artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs), enabling users without coding experience and database skills to retrieve information more efficiently and afford decision-makers more time to develop better asset management decisions.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
- Municipality Utilities that use sewer inspection data for asset management.
- Underground engineering contractors that perform sewer pipeline condition assessment.
- Underground consultant companies that provide condition assessment plans and asset management strategies.
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Robust: Able to handle and integrate multiple data types/formats.
- User-friendly: No previous knowledge of the database/code is required.
- AI-enabled data quality assurance.
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT