Civil engineering is about developing and sustaining infrastructure.

The profession covers

many areas of interest and a broad range of expertise. As a result, civil engineers work with a
luminous amount of data from a variety of source. Geographic information system (G!"
technology provides the tools creating, managing, analy#ing and visuali#ing the data associated
with developing and managing infrastructure. Geographic information system allows civil
engineers to manage and share data and turn it into easily understood reports and visuali#ation
that can be analy#ed and communicated to others. This data can be related to both a pro$ect and
its broader geographic context. t also help organi#ations and government work together to
develop strategies for sustainable development. Thus, Geographic information system is playing
an increasingly important role in civil engineering companies, supporting all phases of the
infrastructure life cycle.
Geographic information system software is interoperable, supporting the many data
formats used in the infrastructure life cycle and allowing civil engineers to provide data to
various agencies in the re%uired format while maintaining the data&s core integrity. Geographic
information system technology provide a central location to conduct spatial analysis, overlay
data, and integrate other solutions systems. 'uilt on a database rather than individual pro$ect
files, Geographic information system enables civil engineers to easily manage, reuse, share and
analy#e data, saving time and resources.
(any Geographical information system have been developed in hydrology, hydraulics,
water resources, transportation, geotechnical, surveying, environmental and other fields of civil
engineering to facilitate engineering analysis, modeling, design, implementation, management
and decision making as used in a research conducted by Alaeddinne )l$amassi and *ola Ahmead
Abeaid from +aculty of )ngineering, slamic ,niversity of Ga#a, Ga#a, -alestine. The research
is to study and evaluate the existing operation . maintenance system of water distribution
network which is applied in *afah area in Ga#a strip.
The water problem is complicated in Ga#a because of high population density and water
being consumed exceed the renewable water.
The proposed system deals with a huge %uantity of data which is needed to propose an effective
system that can save time, cost, and minimi#e the mistakes in managing operation and
maintenance of water distribution networks. Geographic information system technology is
selected as one of the decision tool to deal with such %uantity of data. Geographic information
system can be linked with other software in order to achieve the aim of this research. The
research depended on the use of Arc G! /.0 datasets and 1ater CA231aterG)(! hydraulic
modeling based on 2ecision !upport !ystem for proposed water distribution plan systems,
proposed operation and maintenance systems, and use pipe condition index to assist operation
and maintenance manager to take the best decision which saving time, effort, and cost. +rom the
information getting by interview, surveying and so on, the researchers use G! and hydraulic
modeling based on 2ecision !upport !ystem for proposed operation and maintenance systems
for *afah area.

The first stage in Arc G! /.0 is to prepare shape file data. 4ine features represent pipe,
street, and contour line. -oint features represent well, valve, water meter and elevation while
tank, main5hole, land5use, water distribution #one, customer distribution #one and building area
#one represent by polygon features. All the characteristic of the pipe network component such as
length, diameter and roughness factor of the pipe, cross section and minimum and maximum
water level of the tanks are stored in the G! attribute table. 2ata about water networks failures
(pipe, valves, pumps" also prepared by using G! attribute table.
2ecision maker will refer G! map developed and attribute table data by using G!
%uerying tools to clarify location and properties of pipe, valve or pump failure. The decision
maker will be provided necessary information to decide the proper decision such as changing
valve statues, replace some pipe lines, or installing a poster pump.
'y using G! and hydraulic modeling (Arc6iew map and waterG)(!" the researcher
can deal with all types of data such as geographical data, non5geographical data, fixed data, and
variable data. t also integrates the data base with accurate digital maps to remote, control, and
monitor all the water networks facilities. This will assist the manager to give the best decision
with saving the time and cost.
n pipe network analysis this system able to use simulations of pressure distribution, flow
distribution, and flow direction display and able to save and manage planned pipe networks in
the database. 1hile in water suspension simulation this system will imulates water suspension by
specifying arbitrary shoutdown points, displays water suspension regions and customer meters
affected by the failure on screen and displays operation valves to minimi#e water failure regions.
+rom the study, the researchers recommend to apply G! in water network operation and
management system in all Ga#a strip areas. This is because it can raise the efficiency and
improve the management of the water network system. The researchers also recommend *afah
(unicipality to provide their staff with training course on how to use G! ntegrate with
hydraulic modeling in the field of water services.