ArcGIS Utility Network: Best Practices for Water and Gas Systems

ArcGIS Utility Network: Best Practices

The ArcGIS Utility Network (UN) replaced the old Geometric Network model and with it came stricter rules around topology, connectivity, and attribute domains. Getting it right from the start saves weeks of cleanup later.

Understanding Asset Groups and Asset Types

Every feature in a utility network must belong to an Asset Group and an Asset Type. Before loading any data, define your domain structure:

• Water Mains: Categorize by material (PVC, DI, CI, HDPE) and pressure zone
• Service Lines: Include meter set assemblies as junction objects
• Valves: Define normally open vs normally closed state

Connectivity Rules

Connectivity rules enforce which features can connect to which. Common mistakes include:

1. Forgetting to define end-terminal connectivity for service connections
2. Not setting the correct tier for pressure zones
3. Leaving containment associations undefined for conduit systems

Attribution Standards

Consistency in attribution is critical for network tracing and isolation analysis:

InstallDate: Date (required)
Material: Coded domain (no free text)
DiameterNominal: Short integer (inches)
OperatingPressure: Float (psi)
DocumentURL: Text (link to permit)

Editing Workflow

Always edit utility networks in a versioned environment. Use the Validate Network Topology tool after every editing session before posting. This catches connectivity errors before they compound.

Summary

A well-built utility network in ArcGIS Pro pays dividends for years — clean isolations, accurate service traces, and reliable outage modeling all depend on the data quality established at load time.