If Godzilla were real, GPRS would find him, and SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, would then be able to map him. While Godzilla (hopefully) isn’t real, there is a monster, an absolute beast that lies below our feet, and that’s our subsurface utility assets. These assets are a tangled web, and should one of these utilities get hit, disaster could strike. We may not have the risk of Godzilla, but the risk we do have is much worse, and happens multiple times every single year.
However, with the advent of advanced technologies such as SiteMap® – a comprehensive underground utility mapping software – organizations can now unlock the potential of these unseen assets to greatly reduce repair and maintenance times, damages, and expenditures.
Godzilla is a fictional giant monster originating from Japanese cinema. It’s often depicted as a prehistoric creature awakened or mutated by nuclear radiation, wreaking havoc on cities while battling other monsters or human forces. Created in 1954 by Toho Studios, Godzilla has become an iconic figure in popular culture, representing both the fears and fascination with nuclear power and environmental disasters.
The Significance of Digital Utility Mapping
Digital utility mapping, also known as underground utility mapping, is the process of accurately mapping and managing underground utility networks using advanced technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and ground-penetrating radar (GPR). This process is useful for many fields, from construction and beyond. This approach offers numerous benefits for infrastructure management:
Improved Accuracy: Digital utility mapping allows for the creation of highly accurate maps of underground utilities, reducing the risk of errors and inaccuracies associated with traditional mapping methods.
Enhanced Safety: Accurate mapping of underground utilities helps to prevent accidental damage during excavation and construction activities, reducing the risk of utility strikes and associated safety hazards.
Cost Savings: By minimizing the need for costly repairs and downtime due to utility strikes, digital utility mapping can result in significant cost savings for organizations.
Efficient Planning and Maintenance: Access to up-to-date information about the location and condition of underground utilities enables organizations to plan maintenance activities more efficiently, prolong asset lifespans, and minimize disruptions to service.
SiteMap®: Underground Utility Mapping Software
SiteMap® stands at the forefront of digital utility mapping, offering advanced software solutions tailored to the needs of infrastructure managers, engineers, and contractors. SiteMap-enabled underground utility mapping software combines cutting-edge technology with intuitive user interfaces to provide comprehensive mapping and management capabilities for underground utilities.
Key Features of SiteMap®:
Comprehensive Data Integration: SiteMap® integrates data provided by GPRS, our parent company. This data is captured via on-site collection utilizing many reliable technologies such as CCTV pipe inspection, 3D laser scanning, and ground-penetrating radar. This data is processed and placed into our unified platform to create a single source of truth. This comprehensive approach ensures that users have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information about underground utilities. While we act as our own GIS platform, we also offer data portability with most other GIS software.
High-Resolution Mapping: SiteMap® generates high-resolution, layered, interactive maps of underground utilities, allowing users to visualize the precise location, depth, and type of utility lines. This level of detail is essential for accurate planning and decision making.
Reliable, Fast Updates: SiteMap® provides reliable updates on underground utility networks, allowing users to stay informed about changes in utility status, maintenance activities, and potential hazards. Once GPRS finishes your locate job, your data will be uploaded and available within your SiteMap® dashboard shortly after, usually in just five minutes. However, SiteMap® doesn’t update on its own, and if you’d like to see progress updates after expanding utility services or a new build, you’ll need to order another locate for the data to update. This existing condition and progress capture model of locating provides the most accurate data you can get because there is no guesswork involved.
Customizable Visualization: SiteMap® offers customizable visualization tools that allow users to overlay utility maps with additional contextual information, such as land use patterns, environmental factors, and property boundaries. This multidimensional approach enhances planning and analysis capabilities.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation: SiteMap® includes the data you need to enable users to perform risk assessments and identify potential hazards associated with underground utilities, such as corrosion, leakage, or proximity to excavation sites. This proactive approach helps to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of infrastructure projects.
Unlocking Potential with SiteMap®
The adoption of SiteMap® mapping software has the potential to transform infrastructure management practices and unlock numerous benefits for organizations:
Enhanced Safety
Accurate mapping of underground utilities reduces the risk of utility strikes during excavation and construction activities, improving safety for workers and the public. According to the Common Ground Alliance, there were an estimated 213,792 unique reported damages for 2022 in the United States, a portion of those resulting in fatalities. Accurate mapping can help to reduce these numbers significantly.
Improved Efficiency
Access to real-time information about underground utilities enables organizations to plan maintenance activities more efficiently, reducing downtime and minimizing disruptions to service. According to a report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the United States loses an estimated $97 billion annually due to water main breaks alone, while also giving our infrastructure a grade of C-. Digital utility mapping can help to reduce these losses by enabling proactive maintenance and repair.
Cost Savings
By minimizing the risk of utility strikes and optimizing maintenance activities, SiteMap® can result in significant cost savings for organizations. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average cost of a utility strike is $4,000, but the cost can be much higher (between $14,000 and $56,000) depending on the severity of the damage and the impact on service.
Environmental Protection
Accurate mapping of underground utilities helps to minimize environmental damage caused by utility strikes, such as soil contamination and water pollution. By reducing the risk of environmental incidents, SiteMap® supports sustainable infrastructure development and protects natural resources.
SiteMap® represents a powerful tool for unlocking the potential of underground utilities and enhancing infrastructure management practices. By providing accurate mapping, real-time updates, and advanced analytics capabilities, SiteMap® enables organizations to improve safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in managing underground infrastructure. As organizations continue to embrace digital transformation in infrastructure management, SiteMap® will play an increasingly important role in shaping the cities and communities of the future.
Are you ready to lead the way? Contact us today to learn more about how we can serve you.