How to save 1,500 hours and $80,000.

Rosemount, Minnesota Department of Public Works

Andy Brotzler, Director of Public Works/City Engineer, wanted to make sure that fiscally responsible decisions were being made in the City of Rosemount.

So he chose Cartegraph technology as an efficient means of collecting data on work, the resources being used in that work, and the assets in his department’s care — particularly those associated with the city’s storm sewer network.

CHALLENGE

The Rosemount Public Works Department was looking for ways to refine its existing work processes and reduce costs associated with storm sewer maintenance. In one notable example, the city was spending more than $35,000 per year cleaning catch basin sumps as part of a geographically targeted plan to meet NPDES requirements.

But because work was being assigned non-subjectively by region, sumps containing very little debris were being needlessly cleaned while other sumps with more notable amounts of debris were skipped —all because they weren’t included in the geographical rotation for that year.

SOLUTION

“We were specifically looking for a solution that was flexible, covered all our infrastructure assets, had advanced reporting capabilities, would integrate with our GIS, and provide a measureable return on investment,” said Brotzler.

After careful research, Rosemount chose Cartegraph. The city was particularly impressed with Cartegraph's functionality for assessing, maintaining, and managing storm sewer assets, including mains, culverts, valves, and more. Then the department integrated the application with ArcGIS, giving its data a geographic level of detail that would help crews work more accurately and respond more efficiently. 

RESULTS

With its Cartegraph technology in hand, the Public Works Department re-examined its process for cleaning catch basin sumps and discovered a simple, straightforward solution. Using Cartegraph, crews established a dedicated record and conducted inspections on every sump in the city’s inventory. Then, based on the information gathered, the department established a unique maintenance schedule for each one.

By cleaning sumps on an “as needed” basis, routine maintenance costs were reduced by 36% within the first year and progressed to a 77% reduction after 4 years of using the new procedure. Over the five year period spanning 2006-2011, Rosemount estimates that it saved more than $80,000 in equipment costs and 1500 staff hours. They also have less wear and tear on equipment and are better able to meet and document NPDES requirements.

“Cartegraph provides the tools to evaluate both the simple and the complex,” said Christine Watson, Management Analyst. “We now have a tool to help us make our case and prove our value to the community.”