A method for managing Geographic Information System, GIS, data on a client device, comprising: receiving, on a client device, GIS feature data for a distribution network from a GIS database, wherein the distribution network includes one of a water distribution network, a gas distribution network, an electric distribution network or a telecom distribution network; constructing, on the client device, a network model using the GIS feature data received from the GIS database; storing the network model on the client device; accessing the network model to display a design of the distribution network on the client device; determining a current state and an initial state of the distribution network on the client device, wherein the initial state of the distribution network on the client device corresponds to a current state of the distribution network on the GIS database; comparing the initial and current states of the distribution network on the client device to determine changes to the design of the distribution network; and sending the changes to the design of the distribution network to the GIS database to update the current state of the distribution network in the GIS database; wherein constructing the network model for the distribution network includes utilizing the GIS feature data to create a set of adjacency relationships between features in the distribution network; and using the set of adjacency relationships to generate a data structure that represents the network model for the distribution network; detecting, on the client device, one or more changes to the design of the distribution network associated with the network model; and validating, on the client device, the one or more changes against one or more validation rules, the validating utilizing the network model associated with the distribution network stored on the client device. receiving, on a client device, GIS feature data for a distribution network from a GIS database, wherein the distribution network includes one of a water distribution network, a gas distribution network, an electric distribution network or a telecom distribution network; constructing, on the client device, a network model using the GIS feature data received from the GIS database; storing the network model on the client device; accessing the network model to display a design of the distribution network on the client device; determining a current state and an initial state of the distribution network on the client device, wherein the initial state of the distribution network on the client device corresponds to a current state of the distribution network on the GIS database; comparing the initial and current states of the distribution network on the client device to determine changes to the design of the distribution network; and sending the changes to the design of the distribution network to the GIS database to update the current state of the distribution network in the GIS database; wherein constructing the network model for the distribution network includes utilizing the GIS feature data to create a set of adjacency relationships between features in the distribution network; and using the set of adjacency relationships to generate a data structure that represents the network model for the distribution network; detecting, on the client device, one or more changes to the design of the distribution network associated with the network model; and validating, on the client device, the one or more changes against one or more validation rules, the validating utilizing the network model associated with the distribution network stored on the client device.