Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Enabling Seamless GIS Integration
A few years ago, the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County sought to modernize their archive of critical infrastructure documents. To lead this important digitization project, they selected USA Imaging, Inc. — a trusted name in professional document and large-format scanning.
The project involved the scanning of thousands of engineering drawings, crucial to the maintenance and operation of the county’s vast sanitation and sewer systems.
A Comprehensive Approach to Scanning
USA Imaging, Inc. deployed its expertise and specialized equipment to carefully scan a wide range of large-format documents, including sewer system layouts, treatment facility schematics, piping diagrams, and construction blueprints — many of which dated back several decades.
Rather than producing disconnected single-page images, each related group of drawings was scanned into logical, multi-page PDF files, preserving the original organization of the documents. This approach made navigation easier for field teams and engineers who rely on these plans for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.
Preparing for GIS Integration
Beyond scanning, a critical part of the project involved preparing the files for integration into the Sanitation Districts' Geographic Information System (GIS).
Each multi-page PDF was:
✅ Named and indexed according to facility numbers, geographic zones, and infrastructure types
✅ Enhanced with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for full-text searchability
✅ Structured to match asset tags used within the GIS mapping layers
This preparation allowed the Sanitation Districts' GIS team to link scanned drawings directly to interactive map features, making it easy for users to click on an asset in the GIS system — such as a sewer line, pumping station, or treatment plant — and instantly view the associated engineering documents.
The result: dramatically faster access to original records, improved decision-making, and better service management for millions of residents.
Our Commitment to Quality and Security
Throughout the project, USA Imaging, Inc. maintained the highest quality standards:
✅ High-resolution scanning to capture every line, detail, and notation
✅ Secure handling and return of all original documents
✅ Careful multi-stage quality control (QC) to ensure accuracy and completeness
Moving Forward
This project is a prime example of how thoughtful digitization can unlock the power of historic records, making them searchable, accessible, and actionable for today's digital workflows.
USA Imaging, Inc. is proud to have partnered with the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County to bring decades of vital engineering records into the digital era.
If your organization is ready to move from paper archives to a searchable, GIS-compatible digital system, we are ready to help.
USA Imaging, Inc. — Where Precision Meets Innovation.
