How geospatial modelling is helping us think differently about complex data

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27 January 2023 | 7 min | Article

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Geospatial tools are revolutionising water infrastructure planning in New Zealand and how infrastructure owners are engaging with each other, stakeholders, the community and suppliers.

Technologies have been evolving since the first maps were hand drawn many centuries ago, to when the long important schools of cartography and mapmaking were joined by aerial photography as early cameras were sent aloft on balloons and pigeons, and then on airplanes and satellites during the 20th century.

The science and art of photographic interpretation and map making has accelerated to today, where now, high resolution and low-cost collection using drones, e-storage and real-time transfer of data, together with the development of associated digital software, maps, and data sets, on socio-economic and environmental data, allows complex themes to be analysed, modelled and then communicated to stakeholders and communities.

In the infrastructure industry geospatial modelling has also evolved. What started off as a way for digital display of infrastructure maps, has transitioned to platforms that link and visualise history, current and future functional use of infrastructure, asset performance, population growth, Council zoning information through to the impact of government regulations and socio-economic factors.

In this paper, Aurecon outlines how geospatial modelling is helping the water industry to better understand the built environment, natural environment and societal changes. Data-rich modelling to inform data-driven decision-making provides new ways to address macro-environmental changes – such as climate change, ageing assets and sustainability – over the coming decades, through micro-decisions that people make.

It also can increase the value of existing water infrastructure together with informing community and iwi consultation, and the design of new infrastructure to maximise its value.

Visualising scenarios

With a big role to play in the water industry, data and digital modelling supports decision-making by improving the design of infrastructure by readily visualising multiple iterations of a design to determine the most sustainable option whilst also retaining function.

There is tremendous potential to combine organisational and business data into a joined-up digital picture to plan resilient infrastructure that leaves a legacy for communities.

Able to make calculations easily and efficiently, digital models can predict materials usage, asset performance, network planning, sizing and timing of infrastructure required to meet current and future customer requirements. Complex scenarios can now be modelled in short timeframes and give us more confidence than in the past, when fewer infrastructure options would be manually explored.

One example of this is Aurecon working with the water industry to integrate the Esri ArcGIS geospatial platform into strategic water and wastewater network planning.

Geospatial tools are much more than digital infrastructure maps. The platforms link and visualise all the data about the existing infrastructure and its use, population growth expectations, Council zoning information, Government projections and more.

Geospatial modelling can also support the enablement of water reforms through the four new water service entities in the country. This is achieved through digital and data applications to inform investment decisions that create and protect asset value for affordable water services for communities. Spatial planning also combines comprehensive and dynamic data models to enable scenario planning and support collaboration across entities.

Esri ArcGIS geospatial tools allow rapid and multiple iterations to test theories and gain interactive feedback.

Defining relationships with integrity

Providing new infrastructure to a suburb, or area, sends a ripple of change across the community, the city and the region. Equally, not providing appropriate infrastructure in a timely and cost-effective manner is not acceptable.

Geospatial modelling allows Aurecon, together with clients, to identify timing, location, and suitable infrastructure options (today and in the future) at the planning stage of a project and through the lifecycle of infrastructure, using tools to predict future resource demands. Digital engineering and statistical analyses provide integrity of data relationships.

Able to include large volumes and different types of digital information, geospatial modelling can also provide insights to inform long-term infrastructure strategies and plans. Combined with machine-learning (ability for the system to learn what set of inputs produce the best set of outputs), geo-spatial analytics can also help with efficient operation of networks.

Geospatial as an enabler to Te Mana o Te Wai

With the proposed four new water entities working with local government, iwi and water industry leaders, detailed plans are being developed to ensure the country’s three waters infrastructure is in good condition and prepared to meet challenges of population growth, climate change, economic development and extreme natural events. This planning ensures that Te Mana o Te Wai is brought to life from the outset.

Looking forward, geospatial modelling tools can provide a visual way of presenting Te Ao Māori – the Māori worldview and community sentiment, creating story maps that connect the history, importance and knowledge that Māori gathered over centuries to the requirements of all communities for water supply and use by future generations. This is achieved with robust platforms that are the single source of truth that then becomes a digital benefit as assets are used and maintained across all phases of their lifecycle.

Digitally sharing information across entities enables new possibilities for collaborating and building an understanding of broad drivers across the community, as well as the relationships and connection to people and the planet, (which can be unique from one another), together with addressing any environmental hazards and climate change transition risks that may lead to other future issues or increased risk of stranded assets.

Modelling future infrastructure requirements

Water infrastructure development occurs across multiple government agencies, organisations and communities. In consideration of this, Aurecon believes that geospatial modelling enables collaboration and partnership between these different entities and groups. It provides a convergence point between different stakeholders for design and review within a single model, and to inform asset management decisions, therefore reducing the potential risk of misalignment between inputting elements.

This point is important as Aotearoa New Zealand – similar to many other countries – tackles future infrastructure planning with resource and funding constraints. The identification and effective communication of risks early, and facilitation of multidisciplinary collaboration across the lifecycle of infrastructure assets, allows for greater confidence in asset decision-making around asset size required, budget, performance and return on investment.

One instance of this is Aurecon collaborating with Sydney Water in Australia to develop an innovative data-driven geospatial risk analysis model to prioritise wastewater discharge asset investments that return the greatest value for minimising the risk of social and environmental impact on waterways from wet weather event overflows.

In the past, it had been incredibly difficult for Sydney Water to determine where its limited sustaining capital budget should be allocated to. Now, there is hard data available to prioritise capital works investment.

CASE STUDY

Sydney Water

Aurecon uses digital tools to optimise standardisation of Sydney Water dewatering process. Dewatering is the removal of water from solid material or soil by wet classification, centrifugation, filtration, or similar solid-liquid separation processes.

Aurecon was appointed as part of a joint venture to complete the concept and detailed designs to improve the integrity and efficiency of the dewatering facilities at eight of Sydney Water’s wastewater treatment plant sites. The plants currently treat approximately 60,000 tonnes of biosolids per annum, which is expected to increase to 85,000 tonnes annually in the next 25 years, due to population growth.

This programme secures the future of each facility to be able to effectively and safely dewater the expanding volume of biosolids due to population growth and minimise disposal costs by improving dewatering efficiency.

Aggregated digital information can be tailored to specific audiences: government agencies, constructors, stakeholders and community groups. Opening data access through online portals, including mobile applications, can create fresh avenues for stakeholder engagement and feedback to inform decisions made today that will have critical impact on future generations. This is ensuring that decisions made now are of the highest value for the longest possible time.

Geospatial platforms allow Aurecon and its clients to work iteratively, from the whole to the part, and from parts to the whole – with a system perspective. Through this capability, clients are able to understand the relationship between their investment in infrastructure and the return on investment to the community.

Data for better outcomes

Custom-built integrated digital geospatial modelling allows us to design bespoke infrastructure based on interrogating big-data and complex information to develop investment pathways. This data-driven approach is repeatable across the water sector, in any location, as it utilises available data, integrates multiple data sources and is dynamic enough to be applied to diverse water challenges. It replaces manual intervention and chance of user error that is common when dealing with large datasets and complex calculations.

Geospatial modelling helps prioritise investments to achieve sustainable environments, address climate impacts, inefficient assets and meet demands of economic growth. For Aurecon, the key to successfully helping its clients to navigate these complexities is to use geospatial modelling to think differently, challenge the norm and ask the right questions to maximise the value of complex data.