Here’s the truth: if your water or wastewater utility is still clinging to on-prem like it’s 2009, it’s time for a glow-up. We’re not talking SaaS (not yet). We’re talking Cityworks + Azure IaaS. That’s Infrastructure-as-a-Service, aka: someone else’s server that’s better, faster, and doesn’t smell like mildew.
Cityworks: Our Trusty Digital Clipboard
Cityworks is our workhorse. It tracks the hydrants, the mains, the valves, the leaks, the weird smells in the alley — all mapped out in glorious GIS. Whether you’re fixing potholes, flushing hydrants, or replacing manholes, Cityworks is the operational backbone of modern water utilities.
It’s not just software. It’s how we justify projects, track service calls, and pull reports that make the board think we’ve got everything under control (even when we clearly do not).
But here’s the kicker: Cityworks deserves a stable, scalable, secure home. And that home is not your basement server that resets itself every time someone uses the microwave.
Azure IaaS: Not Your Grandpa’s Hosting
Azure IaaS gives you cloud-based servers, storage, and network power without having to manage physical boxes, order parts, or get into a fistfight with a backup script.
Spin up virtual machines for Cityworks, host your SQL backend, and build a system that doesn’t crash every time someone runs a report longer than two pages.
Why This Combo Is a Win for Utilities
Let’s be honest, we’re understaffed, underfunded, and overworked. So why are we still making IT harder than it needs to be?
Here’s why Cityworks on Azure IaaS is the kind of glow-up your utility needs:
Fewer Crashes, More Wrenches Turned
When your crew is in the field trying to close out a work order and the server is “restarting for updates,” that’s not helpful. Azure gives you high availability, redundancy, and no surprise reboots during the Monday morning backlog.
Tighter GIS Integration Without Tears
Cityworks is married to GIS. Azure makes that marriage happy. Esri loves Azure. Cityworks loves Esri. You get lightning-fast map layers, geocoded work orders, and a system that actually loads before you finish your coffee.
Security Your IT Person Can Brag About
No one wants to be in the news for leaking customer data because Larry left RDP open on a public IP. Azure has identity management, encryption, firewalls, alerts, and enough security compliance acronyms to make your auditor swoon.
Elastic Resources for Spiky Demand
Permit season? Main break? Ten work orders turn into fifty? Azure IaaS lets you scale compute and storage as needed. Your Cityworks instance won’t choke when you suddenly need it the most.
Still Custom, Still Yours
SaaS has its place, but sometimes you want to tweak your own config files, run reports your way, and integrate with your weird legacy billing system. Azure IaaS gives you that freedom. You’re in the cloud, but you’re still in control.
Cost? Less Than You Think
I know what you’re thinking: “But the cloud is expensive!” Compared to what? Replacing a failing server every 4 years? Losing data because someone forgot to check backups? Missing reports because Cityworks won’t load?
Azure IaaS is pay-as-you-go, right-sized for your needs, and doesn’t require you to sell a kidney to get started.
So, What’s the Hold-Up?
If you’re a water or wastewater utility still hosting Cityworks in-house on a box that gets hot enough to toast bread, you deserve better.
Cityworks on Azure IaaS is stable, secure, scalable, and sustainable. It’s cloud without compromise. It’s the toolbelt your utility has been waiting for.
Final Thought: Stop Babysitting Servers
You’ve got pipes to manage, assets to track, hydrants to maintain, and customer complaints to survive. Let Azure worry about keeping Cityworks running — so you can get back to keeping the city flowing.
P.S.
If your current setup involves kicking the server to make it restart, it’s not “IT troubleshooting.” It’s a cry for help. Start planning the migration. Bring donuts.