Visualizing Success: Sewer Asset Management with Power BI

Near the end of 2021, New Castle County's Public Works initiated an extensive project for gravity sewer system O&M planning, implementation and support. As a complement to physical infrastructure improvements, an interactive asset management dashboard was developed. By visualizing and forecasting past and present data, leaders are enabled to make critical decisions and improve operational efficiency. This presentation will detail the process of developing a comprehensive asset management dashboard and its impacts on utility maintenance and operations. A unified dashboard was developed in Microsoft Power BI to support the creation and implementation of data management, analysis, and visualization solutions for the Sewer O&M Program. The dashboard connects directly with New Castle County's existing Cityworks maintenance management and permitting software. This integration eliminates the cumbersome need to compile figures and tables manually, streamlining data analysis and ensuring that decision-makers have access to the most current and relevant information. A specific goal of New Castle County was to provide detailed information on the efficacy of the new SL Rat pipe cleaning program. A pipe is first tested and assigned a condition score based on blockages. For the most severely affected pipes, a cleaning team is sent out. A secondary inspection then occurs where a condition score is once again determined. Prior to this project, there was little information available to track the effectiveness of this process. The dashboard now provides analysis of cleaning performance by individual workers, correlation between pipe dimensions and condition score, details on specific pipes that could not be accessed by crews, and other visual aids to better plan and monitor the SL Rat cleaning program. The dashboard also provides other data visualizations and insights. One area is the real-time tracking of performance against American Water Works Association (AWWA) metrics, providing an invaluable reference point for gauging operational success. Furthermore, it offers a window into work order progress and unveils critical patterns among sewer assets and regions. The versatility of this dashboard equips decision-makers with a comprehensive understanding of the program's performance metrics. The dashboard is in its final stages of development and will be in frequent use by New Castle County at the time of the conference. The presentation will include lessons learned in implementation and use that can be transferred to other utilities.