Public Water Supply System Portal
This project is in cooperation with the Data Access and Support Center (DASC) and the Kansas Rural Water Association (KRWA).
Purpose
The Kansas Water Office (KWO) Public Water Supply (PWS) Portal was developed to update the PWS membership contact information and PWS Systems Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database. The PWS Systems GIS database needs a full review and update by local authorities. The last major PWS database update was completed in 2007.
History
In 1992, the KWO received funding from the GIS Policy Board to develop the first GIS database of Rural Water District (RWD) boundaries and major infrastructure. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Rural Water Association (KRWA) collaborated on data collection and the 1994 publication Rural Water Districts in Kansas. An update of the database was completed in 2007. Both projects used paper maps that were marked up by RWD operators, with onsite assistance by KRWA. The database is available from DASC and map products can be accessed via the KRWA website (krwa.net).
The database is out of date due to new districts and district consolidations and the creation of public wholesale water supply districts, resulting in changes in the interconnections between systems. Boundaries have expanded or been modified in other ways, and pipelines have been replaced or expanded. This information is useful to a variety of agencies and technical service providers who work with public water supply.
The focus on promoting regional planning for PWS systems was first included as a policy issue in the Kansas Water Plan adopted by the Kansas Water Authority in 1993. Since that time, most of the basin sections of the KWP for the eastern third of the state have had priority issues addressing interlocal cooperation of public water suppliers. The “Long Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas” identifies regionalization as a major strategy in meeting future water needs, and having current information to promote that Vision is imperative.
Timeline
This is an ongoing project.
Current Updates
KWO continues to contract with DASC to maintain and operate the Portal to allow for users to review and submit changes to Rural Water District (RWD) boundaries.
To view high resolution PDF maps of boundaries for PWS systems in Kansas and infrastructure for RWDs PWWSDs, please visit KRWA's RWD Maps page