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Remote Aerial Mapping for Underground Assets

See how Nearmap helped Lakewood Water District manage an underground water main project.
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“A big part of the reason to go with Nearmap was to do with the resolution – it was probably one of the biggest drivers, but also just how often they’re flying.”

Kevin WyckoffGIS Coordinator, Lakewood Water District
Lakewood Water District – a water utility company located near Tacoma, WA – currently serves more than 60,000 retail customers and 55,000 wholesale customers. With a new seven-mile-long underground water transmission main in the works, the district needed a more reliable way to keep the project moving along.

The Challenge at a Glance

Planning Precision and Communication

The district needed to ensure effective communication between contractors and field crews about the pipe installation location, while also recording accurate location data. Both the district and engineers assigned to the project captured some imagery using drones, but gaps in capturing left an inaccurate representation of the project site.

The Solution at a Glance

Up-to-date High-resolution Aerial Imagery

With high-res aerial captures from Nearmap, the district could supplement drone captures with up-to-date captures of the site. Remote accessibility allowed the export of georeferenced ortho imagery in the native projection for the district, helping them to create a mosaic dataset. This complete picture is pushed through ArcGIS Enterprise into field apps such as ArcGIS Collector, providing a single reference point for marking the location of the pipeline.

Business Impact

Accurate Status View for Quick Decisions

Tracking the status of the project in near real-time helped the district address any discrepancies and minimise delays. Regularly updated aerial maps provided teams with an accurate view of the project status, avoiding the need for multiple communications, and reducing the risk of lengthy delays that could prolong completion.

Work With Clearer Details

See change on the ground as it occurs with our frequently updated, crystal clear vertical content.

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