Tohopekaliga Water Authority
Tohopekaliga, Florida
Strategic planning is a key to being an effective utility, as described in the Effective Utility Attributes (U.S. EPA, 2007). When the City of Kissimmee divested its water department to form the Toho Water Authority, it was recognized that a strategic plan was needed to guide and align the organization to address its challenges and realize its opportunities. Five carefully and collaboratively selected key strategies were developed in the areas of customer service, water supply, workforce, infrastructure, and financial health. These strategies are also helping Toho to address the Attributes of an Effective Utility developed by the water sector in 2007 and 2008. Employing the Scan, Plan, Do approach has resulted in a viable Strategic Plan for Toho that is designed to accommodate continuous improvement. Toho used a proven process to develop a strong Strategic Plan that will serve to realize its vision for the future, consistent with the Ten Attributes of Effective Utilities. This Strategic Plan is proving to be a key to their success, now and in the future. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: 100K-500K, Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Improved Customer Service, Optimizing Organization, Strategic Planning | No Comments »
With today’s current focus on strategies to improve asset management and equipment reliability, it is critical performance measures using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) data be used to analyze and prevent failures. By applying the basics of performance management, developing useful performance measures, and using a Balanced Scorecard, utilities can be more effective in managing their O&M processes. Following the steps set forth below and explained in detail within this paper can help organizations mitigate the complaints and concerns most often associated with their CMMS:
1. Performance Measures must align with an organization’s business strategy and vision.
2. A Balanced Scorecard approach provides guidance and enables Financial, Internal Processes,
Customer, and Employee Development measures to be balanced within an organizational
unit.
3. Employee buy-in and empowerment drive a successful performance measures program.
4. Basic data, process, and quality control must be in place to enable valid analysis and reports.
5. Performance measures based on failure analysis and prevention focus resources and help to
reduce costs by reducing reactive maintenance.
6. Building a utility-wide Performance Measurement Program drives implementation. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Improved Customer Service, Optimizing Organization, Strategic Planning | No Comments »