Integrated Data Management System, Marina Coast Water District

The Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) serves as a key public agency in Monterey County and Monterey Subbasin, delivering groundwater to the City of Marina, the Ord Community, and surrounding areas. The District also actively supports and implements policies aligned with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and oversees a network of groundwater monitoring wells and water quality sampling points to inform ongoing decision-making. To support these wide-ranging responsibilities, MCWD has invested in a robust framework for data collection, integration, and reporting. From groundwater level trends to allocation management and compliance tracking, the District’s operations are increasingly driven by data-informed strategies. The effective management of data across these program areas is not only critical for operational efficiency and transparency, but also for meeting the evolving expectations of regulatory agencies, stakeholders, and the public.

EKI has worked with the Marina Coast Water District to to centralize and streamline data from a variety of sources and provide the foundation for internal- and external-facing dashboards. This platform enhances accessibility, supports automation, and provides visualization tools to facilitate real-time insights and long-term tracking.

EKI developed a Data Management System (DMS) for the District that was designed to centralize and streamline data from a variety of sources and provide the foundation for internal- and external-facing dashboards. This platform enhances accessibility, supports automation, and provides visualization tools to facilitate real-time insights and long-term tracking. The DMS workflow was based on user needs assessments to identify workflow inefficiencies and was designed to consolidate multiple data sources, including an Access database, real-time telemetry for weather and groundwater, and Microsoft applications such as Excel, Forms, and Power Automate. Automation was a key component, eliminating manual tasks such as extracting and processing data from PDFs, saving email attachments, and parsing email contents to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

Outcome

This collaboration between MCWD and EKI showcases the power of integrated data solutions in advancing water utility management. The DMS was foundational to develop an internal and external dashboards. The insights gained serve as a roadmap for other utilities aiming to modernize data infrastructure and optimize water resource management.