How To Use Diamond Maps For Your Lead Service Line Inventory

Part 1 - Summary

If you operate a drinking water system then you no doubt are aware of the requirement to perform a lead service line inventory (LSLI) by October of 2024.  This article describes how to use Diamond Maps to assist you with your Inventory.  This includes a) how to setup a layer to record your inventory, b) how to record your inventory, and c) how to export the inventory to an EPA or state specific spreadsheet. You can read an outline of these steps below or watch the four videos for a more detailed explanation.

Part 2 - Setup Your Layer

We provide a template you can use to create a new layer on your map dedicated to performing a LSLI.  However, if you already have a map layer marking all of your service locations, such as a water meter layer, then we recommend that you use this meter layer instead of creating a separate layer to avoid a lot of duplicated information.  The setup instructions below describe how to add some special fields to your meter layer to make it compatible with the LSLI requirements.

1. Open your map and click the Layers button
2. Locate your water meter or service line layer in the list.  If you don't already have a layer to mark service locations you can create one by clicking the "Add" button and then choosing the Water Meters template.
3. Click on your water meters layer (click the layer name not the checkbox)
4. Click the "More" tab at the top of the window and then click "Add/Remove Fields"
5. On the Add/Remove fields screen click "Add Fields From a Template"
6. In the list of templates choose either the EPA Lead Service Line Inventory or your state specific template.  At the time of writing this article we are still in the process of adding other states to this list.  If your state has a specific form they require and it is not listed here please contact us asap.
7. The next screen lists the fields that are required to satisfy the inventory requirements.  Select the fields that you want added to your meter layer.  If you already have some of these fields in your meter layer that serve a similar purpose then we recommend that you do not redundantly add those fields.  For example, do not add the "Service Identifier" field if your meter layer already has an account number  or meter number.  Its ok if your existing field has a different name.

Part 3 - Do Inventory

Once you have your layer setup you can now start recording information for each service.  If you already have a point on the map representing a service then simply click on that point and record the LSLI information.  If you don't already have this service marked on the map then use the "Draw" button to mark a point and then fill in the LSLI information.  Or see the video for one technique of filling in LSLI information for several services at once such as an entire neighborhood.

Part 4 - Generate Report

Diamond Maps can take all of the LSLI information stored in your map layer and put it into the specific Excel spreadsheet required by the EPA or the specific format required by some states.  We recommend that you do a test run of this report long before you are finished collecting data because the process of generating the report will also report any errors in your data.  Here is how you generate the report

1. Open your map and click Menu, then click Special Purpose Tools, then click "Lead Service Line Inventory", then click "Export Inventory Report"
2. Select your map layer that contains your LSLI.
3. Click the "Pick" button to select the report form you want to use. If your state has a specific form they require and it is not listed here then please contact us asap and we will get it added.
4. Click Next
5. The next screen lists each piece of information needed by the report.  For each row on this screen, you need to indicate which field of your map layer contains that respective information.  For example, if the report is asking for your "Service Line ID", you might select the "Account #" or "Meter No" field from your map layer.
6. At the bottom of the screen click "Generate Report"
7. After several seconds, your completed report will be downloaded to your computer and a link to an error report will be displayed.  Click this link to view a list of warnings.  These warnings will inform you of things like missing information that is required, or values in your data that are not acceptable.  The requirements of each state are different.  You should refer to the state's documentation.  
8. You can recall previously generated reports or error reports by clicking Menu - Special Purpose Tools - Lead Service Line Inventory - View Recent Reports.  Past reports are only archived on the server for 30 days.