Meet the Client
Lake Tahoe’s crystal waters need constant protection. Tourism brings thousands of visitors. Heavy use stresses aging infrastructure. One leak could damage an irreplaceable resource.
South Tahoe Public Utility District provides water and sewer services to South Lake Tahoe residents and visitors. Their mission goes beyond basic utilities. They protect one of America’s most pristine lakes from pollutants.
The district maintains wells, sewer stations, booster stations, fire hydrants, and miles of water mains. Inspection data existed, but it lived trapped on paper forms. Finding patterns was nearly impossible. They needed their field data to work harder.
Daily Detour: When inspection data goes nowhere
Paper forms collected dust instead of insights. Field agents wrote daily logs by hand. Someone scanned them into Laserfiche later. The information sat there, searchable but not usable. Nobody could spot trends or predict failures.
Reactive maintenance costs more. Problems got attention only after something broke. By then, repairs were urgent and expensive. Preventative maintenance remained a goal, not a reality.
Remote locations meant offline delays. Field agents worked in areas without reliable connectivity. They couldn’t access digital systems on site. Data entry occurred back at the plant, creating a lag between inspection and action.
Fire season revealed critical gaps. When the Caldor Fire threatened in 2021, STPUD needed to know which fire hydrants had the best pressure. Fast. That information existed somewhere in their records, but pulling it together took too long.
The district needed its inspection data to drive decisions, not gather dust.
The Solution: Mobile forms that think ahead
STPUD redesigned its field inspection process using Laserfiche Forms and Workflow. The approach put intelligence into data collection:
Offline mobile forms worked anywhere. Field agents used Laserfiche Forms on tablets without worrying about connectivity. Forms captured detailed inspection data at wells, sewer stations, and hydrants. When agents returned to the plant, data synced automatically to the server.
Automated workflows spotted problems immediately. Inspection data flowed into SQL databases for analysis. Workflow rules highlighted issues that needed attention. The system created work orders automatically when service was required.
Aggregate reporting revealed patterns. Multiple inspections built a complete picture over time. Trends became visible. Problem areas got flagged before failures occurred. Maintenance shifted from reactive to preventative.
Integration multiplied the value. SQL database connections gave the data endless applications. Other systems could access and use the information. The investment in data collection paid dividends across operations.
The Result: Data that saves lakes and lives
STPUD’s new approach delivered measurable impact:
Preventive maintenance replaced crisis response. Trend analysis identified equipment needing service before it failed. Repairs were done on schedule rather than during emergencies. Costs dropped because problems got caught early.
The Caldor Fire proved the system’s worth. When fire threatened South Lake Tahoe, STPUD pulled an instant SQL report on fire hydrant pressure. They identified which hydrants needed service and prioritized repairs. Resources were exactly where they were needed to protect homes and lives.
Lake protection improved. Catching leaks and spills before they occurred kept pollutants out of Lake Tahoe. The system delivered on the district’s environmental mission.
Recognition followed results. STPUD became a finalist for a 2021 Laserfiche Run Smarter Award. The innovation demonstrated what’s possible when field data drives smart decisions.
“Being able to report on trends and utility use hours has changed the way the District maintains its assets,” STPUD noted. “Not only does this save the utility users money by enabling efficient and effective repair, but it also keeps Lake Tahoe clean and bright by stopping spills and leaks before they happen.”