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Using GIS to Automate Sanitary Surveys
Using GIS to Automate Sanitary Surveys
Genesee County Health Department Environmental Division
Orleans County Public Health
Genesee County Health Department Environmental Division
Orleans County Public Health
Background - Greater Background - Greater Rochester Health Foundation Rochester Health Foundation
GrantGrant RFP released December 2007RFP released December 2007 Non-competitive grants to 8 rural Non-competitive grants to 8 rural
counties surrounding Monroecounties surrounding Monroe Focus to address health needs of Focus to address health needs of
communities outside Monroe Countycommunities outside Monroe County Collaborative approach between Collaborative approach between
Genesee and Orleans with focus on Genesee and Orleans with focus on GIS initiativeGIS initiative
Background – ContinuedBackground – Continued
Utilized Lake Plains Community Care Utilized Lake Plains Community Care Network to Administer Grant Network to Administer Grant
Awarded grant $330,000 over 3 Awarded grant $330,000 over 3 yearsyears
Purpose of grant to develop a Purpose of grant to develop a database of GPS points for well and database of GPS points for well and septic system components within the septic system components within the two countiestwo counties
Relevant County DataRelevant County Data
In Genesee County In Genesee County 40% or 9,634 households served by 40% or 9,634 households served by
wellswells 48% or 11,588 households served by 48% or 11,588 households served by
private septic systemsprivate septic systems In Orleans CountyIn Orleans County
35% households - private Wells35% households - private Wells 60% households – private septic60% households – private septic
Project focus - Promotion of Project focus - Promotion of Public HealthPublic Health
Rural Health IssueRural Health Issue Opportunity to Leverage TechnologyOpportunity to Leverage Technology Collecting GPS data helps to speed Collecting GPS data helps to speed
up the response to well up the response to well contamination eventscontamination events
Provides surveillance data that allows Provides surveillance data that allows us to see problems developingus to see problems developing
Project Focus - Other Project Focus - Other Enhanced BenefitsEnhanced Benefits
• Streamline office processes and work Streamline office processes and work flowsflows
• Create Virtual filesCreate Virtual files
• Reduce FTE timeReduce FTE time– InspectorInspector– Support staffSupport staff
Project Basics - Water Project Basics - Water SourcesSources
Some home owners make use of hand Some home owners make use of hand dug wells and cisternsdug wells and cisterns
These sources seen as at a higher risk These sources seen as at a higher risk than drilled wells for potential than drilled wells for potential contaminationcontamination
Reality is any on site well can be Reality is any on site well can be subject to contaminationsubject to contamination
Routes of ContaminationRoutes of Contamination
• Land spreading of manure and Land spreading of manure and pesticidespesticides
• Aging and failing septic systemsAging and failing septic systems
• Chemical spills, traffic accidents, Chemical spills, traffic accidents, railroad accidentsrailroad accidents
• Lack of maintenanceLack of maintenance
Leach Field Design Leach Field Design ConsiderationsConsiderations
Separation distances to wells, Separation distances to wells, surface water bodiessurface water bodies
Separation distances to bed rock or Separation distances to bed rock or the water tablethe water table
Adequate length of trenches for Adequate length of trenches for proper treatmentproper treatment
The Old ProcessThe Old Process
Requests for InspectionsRequests for Inspections
Sale of home, if required by lending Sale of home, if required by lending agencyagency
Complaint of water quality or failing Complaint of water quality or failing septic systemseptic system
Illness or widespread contamination Illness or widespread contamination eventsevents
Construction of new septic systemsConstruction of new septic systems
Field Visit ConductedField Visit Conducted
• Inspector arrives on site and Inspector arrives on site and records observations and site records observations and site specific data onto paper formsspecific data onto paper forms
• Identifies public health hazards and Identifies public health hazards and violations, recommends corrective violations, recommends corrective procedures.procedures.
Identified InefficienciesIdentified Inefficiencies
• Hand drawn sketches often lacking in detailHand drawn sketches often lacking in detail
• Files stored in cabinets creating limited accessibility Files stored in cabinets creating limited accessibility for studies or investigationsfor studies or investigations
– Response to contamination events requires Response to contamination events requires digging through files for data, and some digging through files for data, and some events full extent could be overlookedevents full extent could be overlooked
• Inspector only generally carries one property's Inspector only generally carries one property's historical data to an inspectionhistorical data to an inspection
– Limits ability to detect neighborhood issuesLimits ability to detect neighborhood issues
The New ProcessThe New Process
The New ProcessThe New Process
GIS used to automate the processing GIS used to automate the processing of data and storing that data in an of data and storing that data in an easy to use formeasy to use form
Inspectors given a laptop with the Inspectors given a laptop with the application installed and a Trimble application installed and a Trimble GPS unitGPS unit
Inspection ConductedInspection Conducted
Inspector loads up the application Inspector loads up the application and finds the property location that and finds the property location that they're inspectingthey're inspecting
Inspector fills out the forms for each Inspector fills out the forms for each component of the septic system and component of the septic system and wellwell
• Measuring tool allows measurement Measuring tool allows measurement of features, separation distances, of features, separation distances, areas of leach fieldsareas of leach fields
• Navigation tools allow for pan Navigation tools allow for pan movement around the map, custom movement around the map, custom zoom, fixed zoom, and zoom to full zoom, fixed zoom, and zoom to full extent of the map. extent of the map.
• Zoom to GPS: Zooms map to current Zoom to GPS: Zooms map to current location of Trimble GPS unit. Removes location of Trimble GPS unit. Removes need to manually search for your need to manually search for your location on the maplocation on the map
• Parcel tools allow for identification of Parcel tools allow for identification of map layer features, opening an map layer features, opening an inspection report, selecting/deselecting inspection report, selecting/deselecting parcels on the mapparcels on the map
• Opens the file linker for the selected Opens the file linker for the selected parcel, allowing for the viewing of parcel, allowing for the viewing of historical scanned documentshistorical scanned documents
• Synch button synchs the laptop with Synch button synchs the laptop with the main database the main database
File LinkingFile Linking
Historical paper records are being Historical paper records are being scanned into PDF documentsscanned into PDF documents
Gives the inspector the entire data Gives the inspector the entire data base of information at their base of information at their fingertips, dating back into the fingertips, dating back into the 1950's1950's
SynchronizationSynchronization
Each laptop is synched in the Each laptop is synched in the morning and at the end of the daymorning and at the end of the day
Ensures that each laptop has a Ensures that each laptop has a complete data base when brought complete data base when brought out into the fieldout into the field
Desktop ApplicationDesktop Application
New GIS System In ActionNew GIS System In Action
Lamb FarmsLamb Farms
inin
Genesee County Genesee County
Lamb FarmsLamb Farms
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation located in Oakfieldlocated in Oakfield
• 2,400 Cows involved in the milking 2,400 Cows involved in the milking operationoperation
• Producing 45 million gallons of manure Producing 45 million gallons of manure per yearper year
• Stored in an on-site 15 million gallon Stored in an on-site 15 million gallon lagoon and spread onto fields as fertilizerlagoon and spread onto fields as fertilizer
Threat IdentifiedThreat Identified
• Notified by NYDEC and USEPA of Notified by NYDEC and USEPA of high levels of nitrates in wells high levels of nitrates in wells serving the farmserving the farm
• Sampling in August of 2008 showed Sampling in August of 2008 showed nitrate levels from 17 – 25 mg/l in nitrate levels from 17 – 25 mg/l in the Farm's Wellsthe Farm's Wells
Public Health ResponsePublic Health Response
• Farm notified and placed on increased Farm notified and placed on increased monitoring as a public water supplymonitoring as a public water supply
• Sampling for coliform/E. Coli and Sampling for coliform/E. Coli and Nitrate expanded to nearby residents Nitrate expanded to nearby residents to determine extent of contaminationto determine extent of contamination
ResolutionResolution
• Town of Oakfield applies and is Town of Oakfield applies and is awarded a grant to expand public awarded a grant to expand public water to the affected areawater to the affected area
• Oakfield Water District #2 has been Oakfield Water District #2 has been constructioned to serve the constructioned to serve the population nearby Lamb Farmspopulation nearby Lamb Farms
The Benefits of the new The Benefits of the new MethodologyMethodology
Increased ability to see potential Increased ability to see potential public health problems before they public health problems before they startstart
Archiving of Historical DataArchiving of Historical Data Inspector carries the entire data base Inspector carries the entire data base
of information and gains insightof information and gains insight Less paperwork and hunting for paper Less paperwork and hunting for paper
work in the officework in the office Web based applications Web based applications
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
• Greater Rochester Health Greater Rochester Health Foundation and Lake Plains for Foundation and Lake Plains for issuing and administering the grantissuing and administering the grant
• Eric Brady and Bergmann Eric Brady and Bergmann Associates for development of the Associates for development of the GIS ApplicationGIS Application
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