• Emerging technology targets complexities of infrastructure coordination
BEVERLY, MA, May 20, 2008 -- Envista Corporation, a provider of web-based software for infrastructure coordination, announced its new Envista product is attracting key stakeholders engaged in managing public infrastructure such as roads, pipelines, and more. The Rhode Island cities of Providence, Cranston, and Pawtucket and three local utility companies -- Providence Water Supply Board, Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) and Veolia Water North America -- have joined a pilot program to use Envista to optimize planning and resources.
These six organizations are currently planning and implementing various water, sewer, and road infrastructure projects that will affect nearly 750,000 Rhode Island residents and over 10,000 businesses. Close project coordination is required to lessen the impact on the Public, reduce unnecessary street cuts, and minimize the encroachment upon each other's facilities. The innovative Envista solution enables utilities and government agencies to exchange and coordinate construction and maintenance project schedules online to achieve these goals.
These Rhode Island cities and utilities all manage infrastructure systems located within the public Right of Way. In most cases, the facilities lie underneath the roadways. The service areas of utility companies create unique and formidable communication and coordination challenges in each community they serve. Providence Water, for example, is undertaking a 15-year plan to replace all lead service connections (more than 25,000 pipes) owned by the utility. Paul Gadoury, P.E., Director of Engineering for Providence Water, states "Envista's web-based software is showing up at a good time for us. Having an effective way to coordinate our lead service and water main replacements with other organizations that work in the public Right of Way will help us save on construction costs and reduce disruptions for area residents."
Rhode Island's Capital, the City of Providence, is served by both Providence Water and NBC. It also is affected by numerous roadway projects including the Rhode Island DOT's IWay Project to relocate Interstate 195. With this tremendous focus on upgrading the city's infrastructure, coordination among stakeholders is essential. "With so many major projects underway in the City of Providence, only an online solution can provide the answer to coordinating all the stakeholders involved. We are pleased to be part of the Envista program because it benefits all the stakeholders, including the Public," concludes William Bombard, P.E., City Engineer for the City of Providence.
The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) is leading another major infrastructure upgrade in the region, which is a large-scale wastewater infrastructure project for combined sewer overflow. NBC services 10 Rhode Island communities, including the Cities of Pawtucket and Providence. Veolia Water operates the wastewater collection system for the City of Cranston. Sharing project construction schedules and locations among these entities will help streamline the completion of their projects.
According to Envista CEO Rick Fiery, "As you can see in the example of the greater Providence area, infrastructure is highly complex and interdependent. The job of coordinating projects among the various organizations building and maintaining our infrastructure is huge. Until now, these organizations have been working without the benefit of any automated coordination methods. Envista addresses these issues with its breakthrough technology solution."
Envista Corporation is a provider of web-based software for the management oversight of infrastructure that is built and maintained by utility companies and government agencies.
###
