Implementations of Geographic Information Systems on Sewage Management for Water Resources Protection

Taipei Watershed Management Bureau (WRATB) is a government agency entitled for water resources protection at two major watersheds in order to provide drinking water for about four millions population in Taipei on a sustainable basis. At WRATB, there are two major public sewage treatment facilities which can convert sewage in each watershed into an acceptable state before they were discharged into rivers. More than 82% of household wastewater have been collected and treated by the two public sewage systems. However, households at remote area still need more effective sewage management prescriptions. The objective of this paper is to implement geographic information systems in order to provide more effective approaches that sewage management can be easier and cost effective. ArcIMS was implemented for Internet browsing and map server of those sewage facilities on personal computers, laptop computers. In the open field, ArcPAD was implemented with personal digital assistant (PDA) such that compact flash type's global positioning systems (GPS) and digital camera can be utilized with PDA. All sewage facilities digital files were convert into ArcMap format files. MapObjects and visual BASIC were used to create sewage application modules to meet every single technician personal flavor. ASP.NET was implemented for Internet database manipulations of all sewage databases. Mobile GIS was the key component of GIS applications in the open field for sewage management on a basis of house by house. Houses at remote area, which can not cover by the two public sewage systems, were managed by PDA and laptop computers with GPS and digital camera. Sewage management at Taipei Watershed Management Bureau is easier both in the open field and in the office. Integration of GPS, GIS, and PDA makes sewage management in the open field much easier. ArcIMS, MapObjects, ASP.NET and visual BASIC make sewage management can be done in the office and over Internet.