28-05-2025
GIS technology improves water distribution and billing efficiency in Coimbatore's 24/7 supply project
The 24/7 drinking water project, being implemented in 60 wards of Coimbatore's pre-2011 city limits, has led to improvements in water distribution and billing efficiency through the integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.
The project targets 1.5 lakh house service connections (HSCs). As of now, 1,27,856 connections have been provided. Of the planned 1,822 km of pipeline, 1,758.84 km have been laid. Of the 33 service reservoirs (overhead tanks) proposed, 29 have been completed and work is in progress on the remaining four.
The project also includes creation of 97 District Metering Areas (DMAs)—zoned segments of the distribution network with 2,000 to 3,000 connections each. These zones are monitored for flow and pressure to optimise supply. So far, 57 DMAs have been commissioned. Of these, 41 receive continuous supply, while 16 currently receive intermittent supply.
The project includes a Real-time Operation Performance System (ROPeS), which integrates infrastructure from the main pipeline to household taps within a central GIS platform. This allows real-time monitoring of parameters such as flow, pressure, quality, and the number of connections receiving water.
According to the official leading the project, the GIS technology has enabled accurate and efficient management. 'Billing efficiency has risen from 40% in 2019 to 100% in 2025, and water wastage has been reduced to 15%,' the official said.
Before GIS integration, tap operators tracked supply manually using drawings, and there was no consolidated data on supply, billing, or losses. 'Earlier, leakages could take weeks or even months to identify and repair. Now, we are able to detect leaks within six hours and initiate repairs quickly,' the official added.
The GIS platform also works in tandem with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which raises alerts when water quality falls below standards.
