A utility’s novel attempt to force farmers to curb pollution in rivers failed. Now the utility is on the hook for millions of dollars to protect the region’s drinking water.
— Read on www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-des-moines-water-utility-lawsuit-farmers.html
A couple summer’s back we had the Animas River turn yellow because of materials stored on the edge of the river. A couple years before that, coal ash and the Charleston spill. Now the “red” river (but at in Russia)….So maybe legislators can help us understand why continuing to store this stuff on the edge of water supplies is ok? Or why we shouldn’t put a bunch of money toward removing this material so water supplies and ecosystem are less at risk?
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/12/world/russia-red-river-siberia/?iid=ob_homepage_deskrecommended_pool
“Or is running a local government like s business killing it?”
I had an interesting conversation at a conference recently. The people I was talking to were advanced in their careers and the discussion moved toward the outlook on management in public settings. Once upon a time, most public works and utility managers were civil engineers, but often they were criticized because they were focused on the engineering aspects as opposed to the people aspects of the community. Their focus was public health and making sure things operated correctly. Most did whatever was needed to accomplish that.
This led to schools of public administration, which actually started educating some of those same engineers about management of large public organizations, organizational theory, human resource, accounting and planning I did all that myself at UNC-Chapel Hill. The goal was to understand finances, people, community outreach, the need to engage citizens and as well as public service. The outcomes were providing good service. That however tends to cost a little more than operations although there are opportunities to be a bit entrepreneurial.
So back to the people in the conversation. They noted that sometime in the 1980s or early 1990s the MPAs were being replaced by MBAs as politicians were focusing on operating “like a business.” Looking at the MBAs out there, the comment was that business schools do not focus on service, but profits to shareholders, and the training is to cut unproductive pieces that detract from the bottom line. Hence investments do not get made if the payback is not immediate. Service is not a priority unless it helps the bottom line. In a monopoly (like a local government), there are no other option, so service becomes a lessor priority.
So it brought up an interesting, but unanswerable question for now: has the move to more business trained people in government created some of the ills we see? The discussion included the following questions/observations (summarized here):
Interestingly though was the one business piece that was missing: Marketing the value of the product (which is different than customer service). Marketing water seems foreign to the business manager in the public sector. The question arising there is whether that is a political pressure as opposed to a forgotten part of the education.
I would love to hear some thoughts…
How many utilities have a 3D map of their infrastructure? Not many I bet. But FAU does. Here is a recently completed project we did with students and the Facilities Maintenance staff at FAU (costs involved). They needed better mapping and will tie this to their work order system. It was an excellent opportunity for two groups within one organization that otherwise seem to have little in common wot work toward a great project. We will be inputting this data into an online asset management system this summer along with some data for Dania Beach so they will have a portion of their utility system in 3D also. This is part of a tiny project we did for their downtown area.
GIS is a powerful tool and one utilities should embrace wholeheartedly. There is so much more than mapping to do. Data gathering in critical, but with Leica and Trimble units, a lot of data can be gathered easily. LiDAR can be expensive, but the value is tremendous. You can see that the FAU system is laid on a 3D LiDAR topographic map (6 in vertical accuracy). Asset condition assessments were also done concurrently, which adds a lot of information to the system (all assets were also photographed and linked). Drawing files can be downloaded and extruded from 2D to 3D. Engineers know GIS or can learn it, which makes a fully expanded GIS system for the utility easy to derive if the time is spent. This is a valuable tool when linked to work orders and asset management programs.
So is your utility in 3D? 
Here is an example of getting to a condition assessment with limited data using power point slides. Note that where there are categorical variables (type of pipe for example), these need to be converted to separate yes/no questions as mixing. Categorical and numerical variable do not provide appropriate comparisons = hence the need to alter. Take a look – but the concept is to predict how well this model explains the break history on this distribution system. Call me and we can try it on yours….
Step 1 Create a table of assets (this is a small piece of a much larger table).
| Asset | Dia |
| water main | 2 |
| water main | 2 |
| water main | 2 |
| water main | 2 |
| water main | 4 |
| water main | 6 |
| water main | 6 |
| water main | 6 |
| water main | 6 |
Step 2 Create columns for the variables for which you have data (age, material, soil type, groundwater level, depth, traffic, trees, etc.)
| Asset | breaks in 10 year | Dia | Age | soil | traffic | Trees | depth | pressure | material | Filed estimate of cond.ition |
| water main | 17 | 2 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 4 | 3 |
| water main | 11 | 2 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 4 | 3 |
| water main | 12 | 2 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 4 | 3 |
| water main | 10 | 2 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 4 | 3 |
| water main | 2 | 4 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 1 | 2 |
| water main | 3 | 6 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 1 | 2 |
| water main | 1 | 6 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 1 | 2 |
| water main | 1 | 6 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 1 | 2 |
| water main | 0 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 3 | 1 |
Step 3 All variables should be numeric. So descriptive variables like pipe material need to be converted to binary form – i.e. create a column for each material and insert a 1 or 0 for “yes” and “no.”
Step 4 Run Linear regression to determine factors associated with each and the amount of influence that each exerts. The result will give you a series of coefficient
s:
Step 5 – Use this to predict where your breaks will likely be in the next 5-10 years.
The process is time consuming but provides useful information on the system. It needs to be kept up as things change, but exact data is not really needed. And none of this requires destructive testing. Not bad for having no information.
An asset management program should be developed accordingly to the client’s goals and objectives. It consists of determining the selected area of study, type of system and the quality of data used for evaluation. Before a condition assessment can be determined, an inventory of assets needs to be established – maps, etc. are helpful. So now you have a map of your water and sewer system and you want to develop a useful system for asset management. Depending on the accuracy wanted, the data can be gathered in many ways ranging from onsite field investigation which could take a lot of time, to using existing maps, using maps while verifying the structures using aerial photography and video, or field investigations. But most local governments still lack data. You cannot dig up pipe, or do a lot of destructive testing on buried infrastructure. So what to do?
The reality is that you have a lot more data than one thinks. For one thing, most utilities have a pretty good idea about the pipe materials. Worker memory can be very useful, even if not completely accurate. In most cases the depth of pipe is fairly similar – the deviations may be known. Soil conditions may be useful – there is an indication that that aggressive soil causes more corrosion in ductile iron pipe, and most soil information is readily available. Likewise tree roots will wrap around water and sewer pipes, so their presence is detrimental. Trees are easily noted from aerials. Likewise road with truck traffic create more vibrations on roads, causing rocks to move toward the pipe and joints to flex. So with a little research there are at least 5 variables known. If the break history or sewer pipe condition is known, the impact of these factors can be developed via a linear regression program. That can then be used as a predictive tool to help identify assets that are mostly likely to become a problem. We are working on such an example now, but suspect that it will be slightly different for each utility. Also, in smaller communities, many variables (ductile iron pipe, pvc pipe, soil condition…) may be so similar that differentiating would be unproductive. That also remains to be seen, which brings up another possible variable- the field perception – what do the field crews recall about breaks? Are there work orders? If so do they contain the data needed to piece together missing variables that would be useful to add to the puzzle?
After all we want to avoid this before it happens….
Asset management plays a vital role to help minimize unnecessary or misplaced spending while meeting the health and environmental needs of a community. The goal is to provide strategic continuous maintenance to the infrastructure before total failure occurs. Costs should be well distributed over the life of the asset to help avoid emergency repairs. Emergency repairs can cost up to multiple times the cost of a planned repair. Therefore the ultimate goal of asset management is to provide quality, economical infrastructure by identifying the system’s needs and addressing the needs appropriately. At some point repairs cost more than replacement, or technology may make repairs obsolete.
An asset management program should be developed accordingly to the client’s goals and objectives. It consists of determining the selected area of study, type of system and the quality of data used for evaluation (see Figure 1). Before a condition assessment can be determined, an inventory of assets needs to be established. Depending on the accuracy wanted, the data can be gathered in many ways ranging from onsite field investigation which could take a lot of time, to using existing maps, using maps while verifying the structures using aerial photography and video, or field investigations. Not doing destructive testing is important to reduce costs. The question is how you do it. One project we did was the downtown area of Dania Beach. You can see the areas that are a problem.
Figure 1
FIgure 2
Public infrastructure has been poorly rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers and most public officials acknowledge the deterioration of the infrastructure we rely on daily. However, many jurisdictions have limited information about their systems, and little data to use to justify spending. The resistance to impose fees or taxes to upgrade infrastructure also remains high. Hence the infrastructure tends to deteriorate further each year. At present the United States spends about 1.6% of its GNP of infrastructure, as compared to 3.1 % prior to 1980. Half as much money, and a large portion of that was for growth as opposed to repair and replacement. Hence the need for better tools for asset management.
Utilities that utilize asset management programs experience prolonged asset life by aiding in rehabilitation and repair decisions while meeting customer demands, service expectation and regulatory requirements. The general framework of asset management programs involves collecting and organizing the physical components of a system and evaluating the condition of these components. The importance and the potential consequences associated with the failure of the individual assets are determined by this evaluation. Managers and operators can then prioritize which infrastructure are most critical to the operation of the system and furthermore which infrastructure to consider for repair, rehabilitation or replacement. It is a continuously reviewed and revised strategy that implements the acquisition, use and disposal of assets to optimize service and minimize costs over the life of the assets. An asset management plan (AMP) considers financial, economic and engineering goals in an effort to balance risk and benefits as they relate to potential improvement to the overall operation of the system.
Over the last 2 years, we have been working to develop a means to quickly, effectively and in a cost efficient manner to collect data and assess public infrastructure using simple, readily available means, without the need for significant training and expertise. The idea was to use student efforts to coalesce a common evaluation without the need for destructive testing. There are three successive projects used to improve the collection of data for ultimate use in an asset management program. Students were provided with Leica and Trimble units to gather data. For the first project, an app was created by FAU students that included photographic tools and entries to document the asset condition and location and permit offsite QA/QC from the cloud. This app was initially developed for stormwater, but was updated to include all public assets for the second community. Data retrieval was created to be able to log data directly onto a smart phone or tablet in the field to save time and the information is instantly downloaded to the internet for quality assurance. The collection system also was programmed with a condition index to help with organization A session was held in the field with student groups to normalize the assessment process. The approach began with an inventory and location of each asset. The assets were field inspected and assessed for condition. A numbering system and photographic tools was used to document the asset condition. This was accomplished by physically locating each asset in the field and marking it with a global position system (GPS) coordinate which allowed the data to be populated in a geographic information system (GIS) and organized with the other assets of the system
The results include this senior design project by our geomatics students. It is a 3-dimensional map of all infrastructure from the ground down on FAU’s Boca Raton campus. 800 acres and over 5000 points, many of which must be stitched together. They also created building extrusions for a future project. Very cool and useful from a tablet. So the question is – do you have a 3D map of your utility?
Summer Kids – Get them early
FAU sponsors summer camps for middle schoolers on campus. The camps are a week long. The kids come it and learn about some aspect of civil engineering. I did two summer camps for civil engineers – I call it the make it and break it camps, because that is what we do. Make stuff, then break it. The kids love the breaking part. We tried out a series of project – dropping eggs from 2 and 5 stories, concrete Frisbees, concrete cylinders, geotechnical fill made of recyclables, did a little surveying, made bridge. Then broke stuff! They had fun, but it really speaks to a larger issue.
I see the University of Miami recruiting an 8th grader for the football team. College and pro sports do this all the time (recall they were scouting LeBron James in middle school or earlier). Why do we not do this in our industry? Getting middle schoolers on campus is great; they think it is really cool, but we need to keep in contact. Future camps, seminars, invitations for research participation, helping with clubs, offering classes, mentoring. All things we need to do to track the kids right into the college and the industry. If an FAU professor mentors you and puts your name on a paper, you think that kids is going elsewhere?
Sports sees money in athletes, but because only the athletics are spending money, it makes the athletes seem more important than other professions. But we all need water. We all need sewer. We all need many things we take for granted. So perhaps the colleges and industry needs to think about how we elevate our profession to those kids we want to have become part of our organization. Most do not have the talent to play sports, so get left out. But I am convinced that middle school is the place to start recruiting them our way. High school is too late and they are too distracted by “life.” Middle schoolers can be “formed” into future water professionals. Let’s think on that.
Meanwhile enjoy their work….
June was a tough month and looking back I realize I really didn’t post. I was in Chicago, spent 2 weeks with middle schoolers, prepared my promotion package, god the doors completed on the house, etc. and suddenly it was the 4th of July. Yikes time flies. But it was interesting. Here I want to talk a little about Chicago.
I went to Chicago to do a 3 day, 12 hour class with elected officials. Most are board members for their local utility, but they went from a small South Carolina system to San Antonio and St. Paul. A huge variety. And we learned a lot. Obviously the Flint crisis was on their minds. But I thought the most interesting thing was that these folks understood what happened. I asked what they thought the real issue was in Flint and the resounding answer was – politics. Bad decision-making. Poor preparation. Notably, not lead service lines. These people got it. They read behind the headlines. Of course these are the officials that wanted to learn more about their water and sewer systems, as opposed to the many that do not take the time to, but interesting nonetheless.
Another issue was talked about was finances. I ask them to bring their budget, water use, pipelines, etc. The goal is to do a quick comparison between systems and then discuss what it means (if anything). I have started doing the exercise each year and we find the same thing – smaller systems cost more per thousand gallons to run than larger systems, so hence their rates must be higher or they are not doing repairs and replacements on a timely basis. This group got that as well and understood that comparisons of their system to others needed to be carefully vetted. No two system are alike, but size, treatment, terrain can all affect costs to the customer.
We also talked about leadership. I am applying for an AWWA project on leadership, but when asked, these folks had some great answers. They see leadership as a personal trait (inspiration, vision) as well as being driven by event (negotiating crisis or change), and having the ability to bring people along through the rough patches. Leadership is an issue that needs more exploration, but I thought this was a good start to preface the larger survey I hope to do for AWWA’s members.
In the meantime, I learned a lot about the Chicago River bridges, enjoyed the planetarium, a Cubs night game, Millenium Park and a walk along the waterfront. Very cool.
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