CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
Cutting Water Data Request Times by 60% with FME
Auckland Council, a local government organization in New Zealand, achieved near real-time processing with FME.
60% faster
turnaround from
10 days down to 3–4
Fully automated workflow
From request to approval to delivery
Improved security
Credentials never stored, authentication built-in
Scalable impact
Model for agencies worldwide, from APAC to US & Europe
We knew our old way of handling requests wasn’t sustainable. It was time-consuming, inconsistent, and slowing down service for our customers.”
– Meena Ilamurugan,
Product Owner, Auckland Council
Serving a city of 1.7 million people, Auckland Council manages water resources across New Zealand’s largest metropolitan area. The council must balance population growth, environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance while ensuring reliable water access for residents and businesses. By automating its water resource data request process with FME, Auckland Council cut turnaround times from 10 days to just 3–4, improving efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
The Challenge:
Manual Processes Delaying Critical Data
Like many cities and utilities, Auckland faces the complex challenge of balancing population growth, environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance. Groundwater wells and water withdrawals from rivers, lakes and aquifers must be strictly monitored and permitted to protect water supplies.
But when engineering firms, environmental consultants, utilities, or even internal departments needed data, Auckland Council struggled with a manual, time-intensive process. Each request involved approvals, agreements and tailored data delivery. Turnaround times could stretch to 10 days, frustrating stakeholders and tying up staff resources.
Processing times stretched to three or four days, frustrating contractors and placing unsustainable demand on the GIS team.
The Solution:
Automating Environmental Data Access with FME
To modernize its process, Auckland Council turned to a combination of Esri technology and FME to automate every step of the workflow. Customers now submit requests through a simple online form, attaching agreements and marking their area of interest on an interactive map. Once submitted, the system triggers a digital approval workflow, ensuring compliance checks are in place while removing the bottleneck of manual review. Approved requests are automatically processed through FME, which packages and delivers the data securely and efficiently.
A custom transformer eliminates the need to store credentials while providing flexibility across multiple environments, and robust error-handling ensures the workflow runs smoothly and reliably every day. By combining automation, security, and a user-friendly interface, Auckland Council transformed a slow, manual system into one that is scalable and efficient.
The Results:
A Faster, Smarter, More Reliable System
By eliminating manual bottlenecks, Auckland Council has transformed how it serves its citizens and stakeholders:
- 60% faster turnaround: Requests now take 3–4 days instead of 10
- Greater capacity: Staff time freed up for higher-value tasks
- Improved transparency: Customers get faster answers and clear communication
- Scalable and secure: Meets rising demand without additional staff or risk
Why it Matters
Auckland Council’s success demonstrates the impact of combining automation with robust data management. By streamlining approvals, standardizing submissions and automating data delivery, the council created a secure, efficient and scalable system. The result is faster service, greater transparency and more effective resource management.
This story shows that agencies and organizations, regardless of size or location can achieve measurable operational improvements by adopting the right technology and workflow automation. It’s a model for modernizing data processes while improving compliance, service delivery and staff productivity.
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