DCSE Featured in Esri ArcNews for Digital Twin and Utility Network Work at SCV Water

DCSE is featured in Esri’s ArcNews for helping SCV Water modernize network data and unify operations through Utility Network and GEAR.

DCSE was recently featured in the Winter 2026 issue of Esri ArcNews for our work helping Santa Clarita Valley Water modernize its GIS and asset management environment. ArcNews is Esri’s flagship publication covering GIS innovation and customer stories, and being included alongside leading Esri partners underscores the growing relevance of digital twin and Utility Network deployments in the water sector.

The article, “Unite Data and Collaborators with Help from Esri Partners,” highlights how organizations are using ArcGIS technology to unify data, connect people, and support more informed decision-making. DCSE’s work at SCV Water was featured as a real-world example of how Utility Network and digital twin platforms are being used in production to support operations.

Closing the Data Gaps in Water Operations

Many utilities have invested in GIS, SCADA, CMMS, hydraulic models, and field systems, yet much of that information still lives in separate environments. Analysts, operations staff, and field crews often see different slices of the same network, which slows collaboration and limits decision-making. The sector is steadily moving toward unified, GIS-first architectures, with ArcGIS Utility Network emerging as the core model that makes this shift possible.

A Unified Operational Picture at SCV Water

At SCV Water, the objective was to give engineering, maintenance, operations, and emergency response teams access to a shared view of the system. DCSE deployed ArcGIS Utility Network as the authoritative network model and integrated it with GEAR, DCSE’s digital twin platform built for visualization and collaboration.

About GEAR: DCSE’s digital twin platform for water utilities that brings Utility Network data into daily operations for engineering, field crews, and supervisors. To learn more about GEAR, visit www.dcse.com/gear

From Network Model to Working Digital Twin

Utility Network provides the connectivity and asset fidelity; GEAR makes that data usable across roles. Users can explore the network in 2D or 3D, review asset conditions, track field activity, and coordinate work from a shared interface instead of switching between separate tools. What used to be a conceptual “digital twin” idea is now a practical tool for planning, maintenance, reporting, and incident response.

A Growing Trend in the Water Sector

This shift extends well beyond SCV Water. Utilities across the U.S. are grappling with aging infrastructure, regulatory pressure, workforce turnover, cybersecurity considerations, and rising expectations around operational awareness. Digital twin platforms help address these challenges by improving visibility and making institutional knowledge more accessible through data and workflows. Deployments like SCV Water show that digital twin capabilities are moving beyond pilots and into production environments.

DCSE continues to support utilities on Utility Network migrations, digital twin initiatives, GIS modernization, and integrated asset management programs.