A utility is a private company, a public agency, or a cooperative of organizations that provide a service to the public. Some services commonly thought of as utilities are electricity generation and distribution, oil and natural gas distribution, telephone and other communication services, cable television, and water and wastewater management. More recently, high-speed Internet services and cell phone provision have become increasingly important utilities. Geographic information systems (GIS) are one of the most important technologies for the efficient operation and management of utilities.

Utility Networks Modeled in GIS

One of the primary reasons why GIS has been thoroughly integrated into utility operations is the development of vector and network data models within GIS. Topological data models were a revolutionary component of GIS, and many of the most ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles