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Utility Management

Water utilities are complex businesses, and utility leaders must efficiently manage the people, processes, and technologies required to deliver water services. Successfully managing a utility requires a focus on customers and other stakeholders, operations, infrastructure, risk, sustainability, and more. WRF research on best practices provides a framework and guidelines for water utilities to follow.

Topic Overview (PDF)
193 Projects 26 Web Tools 11 Case Studies 22 Webcasts
Customer Relations & Stakeholder Engagement
Finance
Rates & Revenue
Risk Assessment
Project #4941

Improving Tradeoff Understanding in Water Resource Planning Using Multi-Objective Search

$427,319
In Progress

Project Highlights

Water utilities commonly use simulation models to inform decision making, with time frames ranging from long-term planning to near-term system operations. Different decisions can include infrastructure options, management strategies, and policy decisions. Those models can be complex, and identifying the...

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Principal Investigator
Leon
Basdekas
Research Manager
Ms. Maureen Hodgins

Recent Updates

Project #4734
Real-Life Enterprise Resilience

Reporting Period: January 1, 2018 – March 31, 2018. The project scoping workshop was held during...

Project Update
01/08/2020
Project #4734
Real-Life Enterprise Resilience

Reporting Period: January 1, 2019 – June 31, 2019. During this period, the team conducted a...

Project Update
01/08/2020
Project #4666
Case Study Compilation on Applying Risk Management Principles and Innovative...

The goal of this research is to develop case studies on strategies and tools for applying...

Project Update
07/10/2019
Project #4971
Leveraging the Role of Pretreatment Programs in One Water Initiatives:...

Reporting Period: November 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020. Recent progress focused on the development of...

Project Update
04/02/2021
Project #4969
One Water Cities: Development of Guidance Documents and Assessment...

Reporting Period: January 15 – October 15, 2020. Over the course of the reporting period the...

Project Update
12/07/2020
Project #4971
Leveraging the Role of Pretreatment Programs in One Water Initiatives:...

Reporting Period: April 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020. During this project period, the project team...

Project Update
11/20/2020
Project #5014
Practical Framework for Water Infrastructure ...

Reporting Period: December 16, 2019 - March 15, 2020. Case study framing questions and a template...

Project Update
04/17/2020
Project #4998
Risk Benefit Assessment of Chlorite as a Co-Disinfectant for...
Project Update
12/09/2019
Project #4667
Long-Term Water Demand Forecasting Practices for Water Resources and...

The objectives of this project are to describe models, methods, and practices currently used to forecast...

Project Update
06/09/2019

News

Call for Abstracts: Water System Seismic Conference

04/13/2021

Since 1999, WRF has collaborated with partners in Japan and Taiwan on biennial workshops to exchange knowledge and research on preparing for, and responding to, earthquakes. WRF is now accepting...

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Resources

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Related Projects

Project #2774

Utility Rate Structures: Investigating International Principles and Customer Views

Completed

Provides a compilation of global perspectives and ideas from other public utilities on establishing optimal rate structures, allocating costs, and communicating ideas that reflect investment needs in a...

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Project #184

Water Affordability Programs

Completed

Reports a comprehensive survey of affordability rates/programs now being offered by U.S. water utilities. Provides both case studies and an evaluation of the rates/programs against a set of...

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Project #4739

Funding Innovation: Turning an Idea into a Line Item

Completed

The benefits for innovation within water and wastewater utilities are well documented. Benefits include providing information to make sound decisions, improving operational efficiency, minimizing long term financial risk...

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Project #4965

Development of a Community-Based Lead Risk and Mitigation Model

In Progress

This project will further the science of lead (Pb) exposure risk assessment and mitigation, and translate this into practices that limit Pb exposure for drinking water consumers. A...

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Project #4703

Long Term Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Water Enterprise - Phase I

In Progress

Climate change, water quality, regulatory changes, growth, and economic cycles are among the many factors that create uncertainty and vulnerability for water systems and impact their ability to...

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Project #5124

PFAS One Water Risk Communication Messaging for Water Sector Professionals

In Progress

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of increasing concern to the water sector and the public. It is critical that water systems continue to be the trusted sources...

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Related Topics

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Customer Relations & Stakeholder Engagement

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Risk Assessment

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Rates & Revenue

Link

Emergency Response & Preparedness

Link

Affordability

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