Southern California public works department optimizes the management of water quality and more with Locus software.

This municipality is in a mountainous region of Southern California, several miles from the coastline. Its mediterranean climate, nature preserves and wetlands, and corporate business parks have helped it attract close to 130,000 full-time residents. A buying committee spanning environmental compliance analysts and specialists, water quality managers, and GIS analysts sought a cloud-based solution to simplify data collection, tracking, and compliance work related to the city’s drinking water, stormwater, reservoir data, and wastewater.

Challenge

The Environmental Division of this city’s Public Works Department is a lean operation with diverse responsibilities. The state’s water supply is at risk due to drought and climate change, and the water they do have is vulnerable to urban/stormwater runoff and wastewater. The team must track water quality and demonstrate compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), and the California Department of Health Services (DHS). With scientists working in the field and compliance personnel in the office, they needed a better way to collect and manage data pertaining to their work.

Solution

After extensive market research, Locus Technologies and two other software companies were shortlisted and invited to participate in a formal RFP process. One product was immediately ruled out because it only excelled with one niche requirement. The city conducted reference checks and deeper analysis of product functionality. This research revealed that the third product had limited practical experience and configurability. In contrast, the city valued Locus’ dual solution for environmental information management and EHS compliance, plus the company’s proven experience with water utilities and incident management. Locus successfully completed a pilot implementation for the city in 2022, followed by a complete roll-out in 2023

Results

This relatively small municipality needed a software product that was both robust to handle its critical water data and compliance, and flexible to meet the varied needs of compliance personnel, managers, GIS analysts, policy makers, and the public. They also required a partner that had relevant experience, a solid track record, the ability to scale to support broader sustainability initiatives, and experts ready to listen and problem solve. Locus proved to be the only company that could meet all requirements, and ultimately help the city’s environmental department become more efficient and better managed.

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Locus really listened and understood that we are small operation. They had a great proposal, and they happened to have great pricing. We hope to expand the Locus platform for other needs in the city.

Honeywell improves data quality and more with Locus Technologies

Challenge

Honeywell, a Fortune 500 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, needed an enterprise remediation data management system. They needed a system that can protect and preserve the integrity and quality of their substantial investment in generating site remediation data, have it available for future use, and assure business partners that legacy data is of reliable quality. Their existing data resided in stand-alone consultant systems, spreadsheets and paper records that was not readily available and shared within the company.

Solution

Honeywell implemented Locus EIM to improve their environmental data management process for remediation locations throughout the U.S. and in selected overseas locations. An EIM site was set up for all active projects. Analytical and technical data generated in the course of on-going site activities were entered into EIM. All mission-critical legacy data residing in stand-alone consultant systems were also migrated into EIM. Data management in conformance with Honeywell SOPs, including adherence to valid value and electronic data delivery requirements, were implement and required of subcontract vendors and laboratories.

Honeywell applied the rigorous and well-documented Six Sigma quality-improvement approach to the complex, highly heterogeneous, and mission-critical process of remedial site environmental data management. The primary focus was to apply both qualitative and quantitative Six Sigma methods to improve electronic management of analytical laboratory data generated for environmental remediation and long-term monitoring programs. The process includes electronic data delivery, data QA/QC checking, data verification, data validation, database administration, regulatory agency reporting and linkage to spatial information, and real-time geographical information systems.

Results

Results of the analysis identified that automated, centralized web-based software tools delivered through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model are optimal to improve the process resulting in cost reductions, while simultaneously improving data quality and long-term data usability and perseverance.

A pilot project quantified cycle time and cost improvements of 50% and 65%, respectively. Using EIM, Honeywell achieved a sea change in terms of data quality, environmental risk reduction, and overall process cost reduction.

One of the smartest decisions I made during my time at Honeywell was to use Locus Technologies to help us with the complex issues of data management across multiple sites in our portfolio. Locus understood the “big picture” and all the component parts that had to addressed in order to provide real-time data and information for informed business decisions.

Honeywell logo

Chevron streamlines data input and reporting with Locus EIM

Challenge

Chevron, one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, had various remediation sites spread out across multiple suppliers throughout the United States, and had no way of determining where their environmental data was or what condition it was in. Chevron realized they did not truly own the data that they paid for during remediation projects. Charges were incurred each time sites were transferred between consultants, and furthermore, the quality and consistency of the data was not being managed properly. They were in need of a single repository to manage their data, unify reporting and streamline the process of generating data tables.

Solution

Chevron evaluated many software applications to help identify a solution that would increase the quality of data while consolidating it into one central repository. Locus’ EIM was chosen due to its robust capabilities for managing environmental data. Data were migrated to EIM starting in 2003, suppliers were trained, and labs were instructed to load all new data to EIM.

The Chevron Governance Team also evaluated the formatted reporting options from EIM and identified any potential modifications to the existing functionality. Locus collected specifications and implemented updates to the formatted reporting tool, and then trained suppliers on how to use it. Chevron then made it a requirement that all data tables be generated from EIM and also set up tracking mechanisms to determine how often the Formatted Reports Module was being used and by who.

Results

Chevron now has all data in a central data repository that is available on the web 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Data input and reporting is streamlined and data quality and consistency can be managed with ease. Chevron also realized additional unexpected benefits from reporting and cross site data mining. The benefits of using Locus’ cloud-based software continue to be realized by the team as Chevron continues to manage their environmental remediation data in EIM.

Del Monte effectively meets sustainability goals with Locus

Challenge

Del Monte Foods, one of the country’s largest manufacturer’s and marketers of processed foods, primarily canned vegetables, fruit and tomato products for the U.S. retail market, was looking for a better way to effectively meet its sustainability goals. At the time, the company was experiencing problems with data validation, and was still manually creating reports by exporting data to spreadsheets.

Solution

To simplify reporting and ensure the quality of its data, Del Monte implemented Locus’ sustainability software. Del Monte discovered that Locus’ cloud-based system was configurable, thus making it more relevant to the company’s business and providing closer access to its environmental data.

Locus helped Del Monte discover where errors existed in its historical data, which were then corrected and migrated to Locus’ Resource Management Module (RMM), part of Locus’ sustainability software solutions. Existing RMM data validation steps and notifications were configured to fit Del Monte’s timelines and processes to ensure the quality of the data. Within RMM, each user was given a dashboard that they could customize to their site’s sustainability needs, allowing them to see important data and metrics immediately upon login, and easily create standard reports. Del Monte users were also able to create graphs and tables across all sites within their business unit, and compare these to corporate trends- therefore achieving their goal of making data more transparent within the company.

Results

Through the use of Locus’ sustainability software RMM module, Del Monte was able to create uniform sustainability reports across all of its North American sites. Thanks to the software’s reporting and graphing capabilities, Del Monte is now able to see trends in its data more quickly and reliably, which allows the company to easily compare its data from month to month. Del Monte can also monitor its resource usage, and the cost of these resources, making Locus sustainability software a great cost management tool as well. The customizable reporting capabilities combined with improved data validation ensure that Del Monte’s sustainability reports will consist of quality data, and will be completed by the required deadlines.

Not only does Locus’ cloud-based system enable us to see our progress more quickly and easily because of the reporting customization and graphics, but Locus truly understands the science behind the metrics, and acts as another set of eyes and a trusted partner to Del Monte in validating our data.

By working with Locus, we will improve our ability to analyze and forecast our reliance on critical environmental resources, which will help Del Monte meet its sustainability goals. Management of our complex set of activities requires robust software architectures that are best delivered via the Cloud. We found all of these in Locus’ platform.

Del Monte logo

LANL: Environmental Data Flow Improvement & Savings Overview

Scope

The Environmental Data Flow Six Sigma improvement project covers LANL’s environmental data processing following receipt from the analytical laboratories.

Improvements

The Six Sigma project identified thirty-three process improvements, broken into seven subgroups:

  1. Implementing cloud computing
  2. Restructuring the data stewards’ jobs
  3. Eliminating redundant data reviews
  4. Implementing change control on the system
  5. Incorporating google maps
  6. Implementing automatic electronic validation (auto- validation) of the analytical data
  7. Mapping the data process

Savings Summary

Overall, for the six year period from the beginning of FY10 through the end of FY15, the validated actual and interpolated savings from the seven process improvement groups of the Environmental Data Flow Process Improvement was calculated at $14.6 million.

GIS+ Mapping

See how LANL utilizes Locus GIS+ to visualize and map their environmental data on the publicly-accessible database Intellus New Mexico.

High-quality environmental data is one of the key drivers that will help us meet our cleanup goals. Moving forward, our data will help us be more sustainable and better stewards of the environment. Organizing these massive volumes of data, and making them available to the public, will help demonstrate our commitment to openness and environmental compliance.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) logo

GPC streamlines Clean Air Act Title V record keeping using Locus Platform

Challenge

Grain Processing Corporation (GPC), a leading U.S. manufacturer of corn-based products, needed a smarter, more efficient tool to capture, track, notify, and report daily Clean Air Act Title V compliance parameters for numerous emission sources and points at their various production facilities.

GPC was using SharePoint to enter over 20 daily logs at two facilities and had to address several questions per log and per shift, throughout a two-shift day. Their system had no reporting or notifications, and there was no consistency between the forms in the system. The EHS manager would spend weeks searching through information to obtain the data needed for GPC’s annual Title V certification report and other reporting needs.

Solution

In order to simplify and standardize data collection and reporting, GPC selected Locus’ configurable Platform software solution. Locus Platform was selected based on its ability to be quickly configured to match existing business processes across operating facilities and easily implement the changes in permit recordkeeping requirements over time.

A dedicated project team at Locus and GPC identified improvements that could be made in Locus Platform from GPC’s existing internal “home-built” system that was not designed to meet the needs of demanding, ever-changing environmental compliance reporting. The collaborative team developed a comprehensive set of requirements that helped fast-track the project to a timely deployment that met or exceeded the GPC user community’s expectations.

Within six months, the new system was in daily use, and adoption by the remaining facility locations followed soon after.

Results

GPC was able to create a uniform business process across its Midwest facilities by using Locus Platform’s configurable data entry screens and flexible reporting dashboards. The focused reporting capabilities of the software made it easy for GPC to generate consistent, easy-to-read reports, so their EHS manager could now more quickly and reliably report compliance data.

The Locus Platform allowed iterative, streamlined configuration of data entry forms with built-in validation to match GPC’s specific business needs and nomenclature. By tailoring the forms and reports to the business, the GPC user community (comprised of users with very different needs and job responsibilities) found it easy to adopt the software and were able to provide actionable feedback during the configuration process.

The flexibility and ease of configuration, including standardized rules and validations, allowed GPC to streamline a previously cumbersome and error-prone process and gain user acceptance in record time.

Locus and GPC presented the following at the NAEM 2017 EHS&S and Sustainability Software Conference:

 Demonstrating Reliable Compliance Data Management and Reporting for Title V Permit Using Locus Technologies’ Flexible Platform

One of the smartest decisions I made during my time at I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the outstanding support Kent Corp/GPC has received from the Locus team assigned to our environmental compliance log project. The Locus Project team has been extremely patient and tolerant throughout the entire project. This team navigated their way through a multitude of decisions, changes to decisions, and even more requested changes from GPC with patience that must have been challenging at times.

Grain Processing Corporation | GPC

San Jose Water Company optimizes drinking water quality with Locus

Challenge

San Jose Water Company (SJWC), serving water to over 1 million people in the greater San Jose area, was looking for a more robust and full-featured software solution for managing drinking water and general environmental compliance data.

SJWC collects routine drinking water and regulatory samples on a weekly basis. They also receive ad hoc samples on a non-scheduled basis from typical water utility activities, such as new main installations or water main repairs. Additionally, they collect an assortment of samples from company assets.

They were looking for a solution to automate the entire process from sample planning to preparation of regulatory reports, including the annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) and Monthly Coliform Report. They also wanted robust data analysis tools to optimize their system operations and organizational performance. Finally, they wanted integrated GIS to quickly view field and analytical data in real time.

Solution

Through close collaboration with SJWC and examination of the marketplace, Locus Technologies implemented Locus EIM Water to support the rigorous sampling activities and complex regulatory framework that defines a large water utility.

SJWC’s analytical laboratories load analytical data into the cloud software and notify them when data are available. Locus also integrated Locus Mobile to streamline field data collection, so the entire SJWC field team can collect data in the field and sync results—eliminating the need for laborious spreadsheets and shared drives. Locus EIM Water includes a powerful analytical module with visual SQL query capabilities, making it easy for users to conduct powerful ad hoc queries.

Locus EIM Water also supports a complex sample planning process, ranging from daily samples to once-every-nine-years events, with workflow tracking at every step of the process. With integrated Google-based GIS mapping, SJWC can get easy and instant visual access to their data for operational planning and daily performance status. Integrated data summaries and statistics support the wide range of calculations needed for the annual CCR and the monthly coliform sampling summaries.

Results

San Jose Water Company can now instantly access field data and share results, such as chlorine levels, with water operations staff in near real time. Data are instantly available on shareable maps, so users can visually see areas where action may be needed. Automated notifications alert users when levels are approaching specified limits, and with both mobile and lab uploads performed by the data generators, data handling is greatly reduced. Built-in statistical calculations based on drinking water regulations streamline the normally tedious task of preparing annual Consumer Confidence Reports.

With Locus EIM Water, SJWC achieved:

  • More efficient data management
  • Faster access to data
  • Complete digital handling of data from field to reporting
  • Elimination of complex spreadsheets and shared drives
  • Easy, advanced planning for multi-member sampling crews to ensure that all compliance samples are collected

Having easily accessible information on the status of sampling and reporting programs means SJWC’s water quality engineers can spend more time on system reviews and optimization.

Locus configured the established, off-the-shelf Locus EIM product to the needs of San Jose Water Company, offering a focused solution to the company’s data management needs. By honing in on the unique operational opportunities San Jose Water Company was looking to unlock, Locus could offer streamlined data management solutions that specifically addressed the needs of a modern large-scale water utility.

The integration of the Locus Mobile App offered an additional unique dimension enabling a fully digitized process. The built-in generation of complex calculations for regulatory reports and advanced sample planning and tracking are unique in the marketplace.

In selecting our data management system, we had a few criteria that we wanted to improve upon. We needed to be able to generate alerts based on data. We needed something that was mobile-enabled so that our field staff could use it. Our IT staff strongly preferred software hosted in the cloud so they wouldn’t have to support or interact with it.

We were also interested in the option to expand beyond just environmental data management, to get away from this “one app for one task” approach. We looked at a lot of products—most of them satisfied some of these criteria, but not others. We had a good experience with Locus EIM for our drinking water data, so we discussed our needs with Locus and they recommended their new Locus Platform. It satisfied all our requirements.

San Jose Water Company logo