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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)
154 Projects 34 Web Tools 10 Case Studies 61 Webcasts
Customer Relations & Stakeholder Engagement
Finance
Rates & Revenue
Risk Assessment
Project #4685

Project Delivery Performance Evaluation and Decision Support Tool for Water and Wastewater Capital Projects

$204,814
Completed

Project Highlights

Capital improvement projects are a significant expenditure in water and wastewater utility budgeting and planning efforts. As the water and wastewater industries evolve, changes in technology and the increase in project complexity are demanding specialized design and construction services lending...

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Principal Investigator
Samuel
Ariaratnam
Research Manager
Mr. Jonathan Cuppett

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 #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 #4941
Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm Application Guidance for...

Project Objective


Experiences gained through Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) rival problem formulation will be captured to...

Project Update
09/13/2019
Project #4902
Leveraging Big-Data and Deep Learning for the Condition Assessment of...

During this project period, the automated system was extended to detect fractures (i.e., structural defects that...

Project Update
11/07/2019
Project #4902
Leveraging Big-Data and Deep Learning for the Condition Assessment of...

Reporting Period: June – December 2019. The automated system was tested under three scenarios: (1) detection...

Project Update
12/31/2019
Project #4748
Evaluating Risk Management Frameworks and Tools, and Their...

During this project period, the research team has been developing guidance for utility implementation of the...

Project Update
06/09/2019
Project #4748
Evaluating Risk Management Frameworks and Tools, and Their...

This update reflects the most recent 6 months of project activity. In this period, the research...

Project Update
06/09/2019

News

Advancing System-Level Resilience for Water Infrastructure

05/22/2020

While water infrastructure is deteriorating, water utilities are also faced with many challenges, including severe/extreme weather events, climate change, earthquake, flood/drought. America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) enacted in 2018 requires...

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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 #1538

Reframing The Economics Of Combined Heat And Power (CHP) Projects: Fact Sheet

Completed

This fact sheet addresses the financial metrics that can be used to overcome the economic barriers to combined heat and power (CHP) projects. It provides a breakdown of...

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Project #4739

Funding Innovation: Turning an Idea into a Line Item

In Progress

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 and other changing conditions may jeopardize the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System's (RWS) ability to meet the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) desired level of...

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Related Topics

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Customer Relations & Stakeholder Engagement

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Risk Assessment

Link

Rates & Revenue

Link

Emergency Response & Preparedness

Link

Affordability

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