Accurate data is the foundation for asset management, criticality, forecasting, and prioritisation. A
structured and automated approach has been applied to various councils across Victoria. It starts with
running a ‘Data Health Check’ which utilises advanced tools to assess network connectivity and data
quality. It identifies and resolves data gaps and strategic improvements. Applied across Victoria, we
have been able to help government agencies futureproof their drainage asset data and enable
confident transition toward data-driven, evidence-based capital works planning. This paper explores
key learnings, trends and challenges encountered during the implementation of automated data
health checks across Victorian councils, offering practical insights for similar initiatives.
Over the past 25 years, Morphum Environmental has developed a suite of GIS tools and processes,
including the ‘Data Health Check (DHC)’ tool, to support with councils assessing and improving their
drainage asset data. Accurate asset data is the foundation for building network forecasting, criticality
and prioritisation of our asset management system. Running DHC is the first step of the overall data
improvement roadmap developed (see Figure 1). It assesses stormwater asset data to make sure it is
fit for purpose to manage our stormwater and other network assets.
Figure 1 Proposed Drainage Data Improvement Roadmap
In the past few years, we have run the DHC tool for several Victorian councils, including City of Greater
Geelong, Yarra, Hume, Manningham and Ballarat. The DHCs has identified similar key data gaps,
opportunities for “quick wins” and overall data and asset management improvements in the medium
and long term across the various Victorian municipalities.
Following the completion of the DHC, we worked with councils to identify and implement the
necessary geospatial and automation processes to populate as many gaps as possible to ensure
efficiency and quick wins. This typically involved utilising our bespoke primary flow network approach
across the municipality. This is an iterative process, with spatial tools identifying specific parts of the
network that must be rectified to ensure full connectivity. One of the typical errors found consistently
across Victoria included gaps in the network, such as where a network is not fully connected and
therefore cannot provide any tracing ability for pollution tracking to receiving waterways. Gaps,
overshoots and loops in the network disrupt continuity of flow and affect the performance of
subsequent tracing tasks. etwork tracing enables councils to identify how much of the piped
network is connected to outlets, the lowest points in the network and any other key areas within the
catchment.
The improved asset data have supported councils in future strategic decision making, allowing them
to undertake asset management with higher confidence, including valuation, capital works and
maintenance planning and renewal forecasting. More informed decisions can also be made around
water treatment options, such as water sensitive urban design (WSUD), as there is now greater
visibility about what contaminants might be travelling downstream through the pipe network towards
the region’s waterways.