Effective Water Utility Management

Based on an agreement signed in 2007, EPA is working collaboratively with six national organizations that support drinking water and wastewater utilities to promote effective utility management based on series of Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities (Attributes) . These Attributes were recommended by a group of leading water sector utility managers from across the nation. The goal of the Effective Utility Management (EUM) initiative is to help utilities address a full range of challenges and help them move toward sustainable operations and infrastructure.

The Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities provide useful, concise reference points for utility managers seeking to improve orga­nization-wide performance. The Attributes describe desired outcomes that are applicable to all water and wastewater utilities. They include a comprehensive management framework related to operations, infrastructure, cus­tomer satisfaction, community sustainability, natural re­source stewardship and financial viability.

Water and wastewater utilities can use the Attributes to select priorities and measurable objectives for improving their performance based on each or­ganization's strategic objectives and the needs of the community it serves.

Tools to Implement the Attributes

EPA and the partnering organizations have developed a series of tools to help utilities adopt the Attributes. In 2008, they released the Effective Utility Management Primer (PDF) (52 pp, 3.5MB, About PDF). This document provides utilities with a series of steps to assess their operations using the attributes and a series of suggested utility performance measures based on the Attributes. The assessment allows utilities to gauge progress over time.

An electronic resource "toolbox" and a full range of information about the EUM Initiative is available at http://www.watereum.org/. 

EPA has also developed the Resource Guide to Effective Utility Management and Lean (PDF) (106 pp, 2.8MB, About PDF), which provides information and case studies to help utilities understand how to use Lean techniques and tools to help utilities achieve the outcomes associated with the EUM Attributes.  Lean allows utilities to identify ways to eliminate waste and improve the overall efficiency of many different utility operations. Based on the resource guide, EPA held a webinar, Effective Utility Management and Lean at Water-Sector Utilities: Improving Performance and Addressing Key Management Priorities, on November 8, 2012, which explored the connections between EUM and Lean tools. The webcast featured a brief overview describing EUM and Lean concepts and methods and how to get started with EUM and Lean, as well as two presentations from Clean Water Services and the City of Pompano Beach Utilities Department, highlighting their successes using EUM in concert with Lean methods. Copies of the webinar presentations are provided below.

• Effective Utility Management and Lean at Water-Sector Utilities (PDF) (26 pp, 3.1MB, About PDF)
• Effective Utility Management and Lean/Six Sigma Initiatives, Presentation by the Pompano Bean Utilities Department (PDF) (19 pp, 1.6MB, About PDF)
  
• Leveraging Utility Performance with Effective Utility Management and Lean/Six Sigma Initiatives, Presentation by Clean Water Services (PDF) (33 pp, 3.9MB, About PDF)
  

Looking to the Future

Through its Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy, EPA will continue to encourage utilities to use the Attributes and other EUM tools to pursue effective utility management leading to sustainable operations and infrastructure. 

We are now working in an advisory capacity with the Water Research Foundation and a number of utilities to develop a tool to help utilities benchmark their performance based on the Attributes and associated best practices. EPA also expects to initiate a project, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to reach out to smaller utilities to help educate them about the EUM Initiative and seek input on ways in which it can further help these utilities to pursue sustainability.