More and more, utility officials are being forced to address deteriorating water and wastewater facilities with limited budgets, leading to difficult decisions and tough conversations with the public about why these are worthy investments.
In order to quantify this process, Garver has implemented a simple asset management approach that provides a comprehensive score showing which assets are at the highest risk and have the largest potential impact to the facility.
“Our approach to asset management is different than that of most firms,” said Garver North Texas Water Team Leader Lance Klement. “Rather than providing a broad evaluation that is never implemented, we work with utilities to identify the end goal for their program. We then implement simple tools that provide a clear ranking of needed improvements.”
Garver evaluates the asset’s remaining useful life, the financial impact, and those affected by potential failure. Using tools found within a framework designed by the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation, that information produces an overall score, which helps utilities decide how to proceed. This approach led to system improvements for municipalities such as the Town of Addison, Texas and the City of Kilgore, Texas.
Along with assessments, Garver can also train utility staff so that they can manage future programs while accurately prioritizing projects.
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