To assist utility managers in promoting sustainable operations and improving performance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helped create the “Effective Utility Management Primer.” This is a collaborative effort with six national associations: Water Environment Federation, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, American Public Works Association, and National Association of Water Companies.
Based on the “Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities” and the five “Keys to Management Success,” the primer provides a framework through a customized, incremental approach to help utility managers identify which of the 10 attributes they should focus on first. It also features a series of suggested utility performance measures. This will allow utilities to establish a performance baseline and begin to measure their progress. The document is available at www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/pdfs/ tools_si_watereum_primerforeffectiveutilities.pdf
There is also an electronic resource toolbox that utilities will be able to access online from the collaborating organizations at http://watereum.org. Water and wastewater utilities across the country are facing many common challenges, including rising costs, aging infrastructure, increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, population changes, and a rapidly changing workforce. Effective utility management is critical to enable utilities to tackle challenges, increase performance and achieve success in the long run.
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