Drinking Water Asset Management Programs Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American Drinking Water Community

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Drinking Water Asset Management Programs

Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American

Drinking Water Community

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About the Awwa Research Foundation

The Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) is a member-supported, international, nonprofit organization that sponsors research to enable water utilities, public health agencies, and other professionals to provide safe and affordable drinking water to consumers.

The Foundation’s mission is to advance the science of water to improve the quality of life. To achieve this mission, the Foundation sponsors studies on all aspects of drinking water, including supply and

resources, treatment, monitoring and analysis, distribution, management, and health effects. Funding for research is provided primarily by subscription payments from approximately 1,000 utilities, consulting firms, and manufacturers in North America and abroad. Additional funding comes from collaborative partnerships with other national and international organizations, allowing for resources to be leveraged, expertise to be shared, and broad-based knowledge to be developed and disseminated. Government funding serves as a third source of research dollars.

From its headquarters in Denver, Colorado, the Foundation’s staff directs and supports the efforts of more than 800 volunteers who serve on the board of trustees and various committees. These volunteers represent many facets of the water industry, and contribute their expertise to select and monitor research studies that benefit the entire drinking water community.

The results of research are disseminated through a number of channels, including reports, the Web site, conferences, and periodicals.

For subscribers, the Foundation serves as a cooperative program in which water suppliers unite to pool their resources. By applying Foundation research findings, these water suppliers can save substantial costs and stay on the leading edge of drinking water science and technology. Since its inception, AwwaRF has supplied the water community with more than $300 million in applied research. More information about the Foundation and how to become a subscriber is available on the Web at

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Drinking Water Asset Management Programs

Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American

Drinking Water Community

Prepared by:

Gregory J. Kirmeyer HDR Engineering, Inc. 500 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200

Bellevue, WA 98004 and

Andrew Graham and Jeffrey Hansen HDR Engineering, Inc. 626 Columbia St NW Suite 2A

Olympia, WA 98501 and

Doug Spiers Westin Engineering, Inc. 3100 Zinfandel, Suite 300 Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

DISCLAIMER

This study was funded by the Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF). AwwaRF assumes no responsibility for the content of the research study reported in this publication or for the opinions or statements of fact expressed in the report. The mention of trade names for commercial products does not represent or imply the approval or endorsement of AwwaRF. This report is presented solely for informational purposes.

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LIST OF TABLES

1.1 Roles of Specifiers and Service Providers ... 2

1.2 Results of Cost/Benefit Analysis ... 8

4.1 Timeline of the Technology Deployment and Asset Management Activities... 25

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LIST OF FIGURES

1.1 Expected Frequency of Minimum Water Surface Elevations, Morse Lake Reservoir.... 6 1.2 Cost and Benefits of the 3 Options (Without Social Benefits) ... 7 2.1 MLOG® Sensor Adjacent to a Water Meter ... 13 2.2 Graphic Display of Acoustic Data ... 14 5.1 Louisville Water Company Main Break and Joint Leak Frequency (1986-2006,

10-year Moving Average)... 36 5.2 Louisville Water Company MRRP Historical Mileage and Costs (1993-2007) ... 37

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FOREWORD

The Awwa Research Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that is dedicated to the implementation of a research effort to help utilities respond to regulatory requirements and traditional high-priority concerns of the industry. The research agenda is developed through a process of consultation with subscribers and drinking water professionals. Under the umbrella of a Strategic Research Plan, the Research Advisory Council prioritizes the suggested projects based upon current and future needs, applicability, and past work; the recommendations are forwarded to the Board of Trustees for final selection. The foundation also sponsors research projects through the unsolicited proposal process; the Collaborative Research, Research Applications, and Tailored Collaborations programs; and various joint research efforts with organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Association of California Water Agencies.

This publication is a result of one of those sponsored studies, and it is hoped that its findings will be applied in communities throughout the world. The following report serves not only as a means of communicating the results of the water industry’s centralized research program but also as a tool to enlist the further support of the nonmember utilities and individuals.

Projects are managed closely from their inception to the final report by the foundation’s staff and large cadre of volunteers who willingly contribute their time and expertise. The foundation serves a planning and management function and awards contracts to other institutions such as water utilities, universities, and engineering firms. The funding for this research effort comes primarily from the Subscription Program, through which water utilities subscribe to the research program and make an annual payment proportionate to the volume of water they deliver and consultants and manufacturer subscribe based on their annual billings. The program offers a cost-effective and fair method for funding research in the public interest.

A broad spectrum of water supply issues is addressed by the foundation’s research agenda: resources, treatment and operations, distribution and storage, water quality and analysis, toxicology, economics, and management. The ultimate purpose of the coordinated effort is to assist water suppliers to provide the highest possible quality of water economically and reliably. The true benefits are realized when the results are implemented at the utility level. The foundation’s trustees are pleased to offer this publication as a contribution toward that end.

David Rager Robert C. Renner, P.E.

Chair, Board of Trustees Executive Director

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors of this report are indebted to the following water utilities and individuals for their cooperation and participation in this project:

Liz Kelly, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle, Washington, USA David Hughes, American Water, Voorhees, New Jersey, USA

Richard Hyte, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Susan Ancel, EPCOR Water Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Greg Heitzman, Louisville Water Company, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

In addition, the help of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) – including Jeff Leighton, City of Portland Water Bureau, Portland Oregon, USA; Larry A. Johnson, Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Christopher J. Hebberd, City of Atlanta Bureau of Drinking Water, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Wayne Green, Green Management, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Scott Haskins, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle, Washington, USA; Stephen P. Allbee, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., USA – and the help of AwwaRF project officer, Maureen Hodgins, are appreciated.

The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Julie Self for her efforts in assembling the final report.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) documented innovative practices in asset management by five North American drinking water utilities for the Global Water Research Coalition’s (GWRC) international “Compendium of Asset Management Case Studies.” AwwaRF is a founding member of the GWRC, a global partnership of water research organizations. The Compendium will include drinking water and wastewater case studies from four or five

countries. The Compendium will be compiled by the Water Research Commission (S. Africa) and will be available to all of the participating organizations.

There are five North American Case Studies related to Drinking Water that serve as Best Management Practices in the area of utility Asset Management. The Case Studies represent utilities that are geographically diverse, vary in size from small to large, have different types of governance structures, and are all quite active in some or all parts of the Asset Management continuum.

Seattle Public Utilities, Washington, USA, located in the Pacific Northwest of North America has one of the more mature Asset Management Programs in the USA. The focus of this Case Study is on the use of the Triple Bottom Line approach, which uses financial, social and environmental evaluation criteria to rate and select projects or actions. The capital decision making process is described with an example of how the Triple Bottom Line approach is used. American Water, a private utility, operates a small water utility in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in the eastern USA. This Case Study focuses on an innovation approach for identifying leaks early in their development so that they can be repaired on a scheduled, non-emergency basis, before they become large enough to do significant damage. Acoustic sensors are used in conjunction with Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems to locate leaks and transmit the information to a central computer for evaluation and response.

Las Vegas Valley Water District, a non-profit governmental subdivision of the State of Nevada, USA, is a quasi-municipal corporation. This Case Study describes how Las Vegas Valley Water District is using mobile technology best practice solutions to support specific areas of their Asset Management business processes. The focus of the Case Study relates to efficiently responding to rapid growth of the water system using mobile technology. The interaction of internal utility staff and systems with external users (developers) is described.

EPCOR Water Services, Canada, provides water and wastewater services to more than 1 million people around Edmonton, Alberta, and Western Canada. This Case Study provides an overview of 30 years of development of EPCOR’s Asset Management program, including key components and principles of their Geographic Information System. Key business processes and application areas that support effective asset management are described. Information on GIS development, hydraulic modeling, and water main renewal programs is summarized.

Louisville Water Company, Kentucky, a medium sized utility, located in the southeastern USA, has been implementing a Main Replacement and Rehabilitation Program for the past 15 years. The Case Study describes the success and lessons learned from that long standing program.

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Some 425 miles (684 kilometers) of pipe have been addressed since the program began. A pipe evaluation model with twenty-three criteria is used to decide whether a pipe is replaced or rehabilitated and what priority it will have with in that category.

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CHAPTER 1 SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES CASE STUDY

DECISION-MAKING FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Seattle Public Utilities operates water supply, wastewater collection, drainage and solid waste collection utilities for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities in King County, Washington State, USA. The organization collectively serves a population of approximately 1.5 million people. Seattle Public Utilities owns assets valued at over US$4.5 billion (year 2007), including piping systems, large water reservoirs, water treatment plants, pump stations, roads and buildings.

Since 2002 Seattle Public Utilities has put in place an ambitious program to manage these assets. The program now permeates the organization’s decision-making processes. Although Seattle Public Utilities’ program has many noteworthy features, this case study will focus on the utility’s organizational structure and on their process for defining, reviewing and approving capital projects, including application of a procedure for “triple bottom line” evaluation of costs and benefits. The triple bottom line addresses financial, social and environmental considerations in decision-making.

BACKGROUND

Seattle Public Utilities launched a major effort to apply asset management principles beginning in 2002. There were several drivers for this program, including:

• Concerns over the organization’s financial position;

• Increased needs for spending on capital projects, operations and maintenance; • Significant regulatory requirements in each of the utility’s service lines; • Continued aging of infrastructure; and

• Public interest in environmental protection.

Seattle Public Utilities forged contacts with several utilities that had developed extensive asset management programs. These programs were adapted to meet Seattle Public Utilities’ own needs, regulatory environment and administrative context. In order to develop its program, the utility engaged in exchanges with Hunter Water Corporation in Australia that enabled staff from each utility to cross the Pacific for extended on-site interactions.

Seattle Public Utilities developed a number of guidebooks and other materials posted on its intranet system to support the decision-making process. Staff charged with contributing to the process have access to detailed procedures, examples and information.

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

In building its asset management program, Seattle Public Utilities gave careful consideration to how the organizational structure and management processes could support the program effectively. Under the leadership of the utility’s Director, a reorganization was

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undertaken, in part to advance this objective. One of the basic organizing principles was definition of two distinct roles: Specifiers and Service Providers.

Specifiers plan, specify and are accountable for the delivery of utility and corporate services. They are responsible for making sure Seattle Public Utilities establishes and meets service levels, consistent with financial constraints and life cycle principles. In addition, Specifiers are responsible for ensuring that asset management principles are applied in making or recommending resource allocation decisions.

Service Providers deliver the services defined in negotiated Service Agreements. They are accountable to the Specifier for producing all agreed deliverables and meeting the agreed-upon scope, schedule, budget and performance requirements. Service Providers also work with Specifiers to determine appropriate work objectives, outcomes and/or options.

Table 1.1 further describes these roles.

Table 1.1 – Roles of Specifiers and Service Providers

An Asset Management Committee (AMC) was formed, comprised of senior management from across the organization. The AMC has review authority over service levels that are formally defined and monitors key performance indicators on a quarterly basis. The AMC also provides funding approval for all capital investments, and provides direct approval for all

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projects costing over US$250,000. AMC has delegated funding approval to other committees and individuals for projects less than this amount.

An asset management group was also formed within the Director’s office to support the program, provide cross-functional integration and assist with translating concepts into actual operations. This group provides the following functions:

• Reinforces and institutionalizes asset management principles and advises senior management

• Creates consistent processes and accountabilities;

• Supports Specifiers in developing business cases and other products; • Contributes analysis to optimize management of assets.

Over the course of the past several years, the group has also had other functions, including:

• Conducting economic analysis;

• Developing performance management systems;

• Assisting with development of service levels and Service Agreements;

• Coordinating between utility lines of business and other branches of the organization; and

• Establishing a Facilities Assets Management group.

These functions support asset-management planning and decision-making throughout the organization, including assistance in developing the Project Development Plans described below. Seattle Public Utilities views this as a process of “culture change” within the organization. Leadership from the Director and senior management has been essential in accomplishing this change. It is a multiple year process that hinges on effective communication of objectives and clear definition of roles and expectations throughout the entire organization.

CAPITAL DECISION-MAKING AT SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES

The capital decision-making process includes a well-defined format for developing and presenting information, a structured review process involving the organization’s senior management, explicit consideration of risk factors, and consistent application of triple-bottom line methodology. This section presents those elements and provides an example of how a project was analyzed.

The Project Development Plan

The capital decision making process is highly structured to ensure sound decisions are made using the best available information, consistent with Seattle Public Utilities policies. At the heart of this process is the Project Development Plan. 1 A Project Development Plan contains a number of elements including:

1

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• Project background and objective of the capital project. The objective includes two elements: 1) the function of the project in terms of the problem or opportunity it will address; and 2) the type of value created by solving that problem or realizing the opportunity.

• Discussion of the base case without the proposed project; and of other options for achieving the objective. Among other purposes, this discussion enables comparison of more capital-intensive solutions compared with solutions that have higher

operational or maintenance costs.

• Economic analysis of the project options. Cost-effectiveness analysis is sufficient if the function is an absolute requirement (e.g., for regulatory compliance). For all other projects, a more extensive analysis is required to compare costs and benefits. Both types of analysis utilize full life-cycle costs. In addition, the cost-benefit analysis uses a triple bottom line evaluation and a review of how sensitive results are to differing assumptions.

• Identification and characterization of risk factors for each option, including the no-action option. Risk factors are quantified where possible (e.g., range of effects, number of people affected, etc.). In addition a “risk cost” is estimated and incorporated in the cost-benefit analysis.

• Recommendation of a single project option, together with budget impacts and recommended implementation schedule.

Seattle Public Utilities has developed standard templates for the analysis and Project Development Plan document to provide a common basis for the many staff involved in preparing and reviewing them.

Participants in Capital Project Decision-Making

The process for developing and reviewing Project Development Plans is also highly structured. The Project Development Plan (PDP) is initiated and directed by a “Specifier.” Each PDP is assigned an Executive Sponsor. The written PDP documents the problem statement and business case for the proposed investment. In the process of developing the problem statement, the business case, and the PDP, the Specifier receives assistance from staff representing different functions within the organization. These include a financial performance manager, field operations liaison, economist and corporate asset management reviewer. Other reviewers may also play a part, such as scientists, security specialists and risk analysts. Each of these contributors has a defined role in shaping the PDP.

Once prepared, all Project Development Plans for investments exceeding US$250,000 are reviewed by Seattle Public Utilities’ Asset Management Committee, comprised of senior management within the organization. The committee first reviews the Project Development Plan prior to the preliminary engineering stage. If it is approved, the committee reviews an updated and more detailed version of the Project Development Plan again prior to the design and construction stage.

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Triple Bottom Line Evaluation

Economic analysis of proposed projects is structured to address three categories of costs and benefits: financial, social, and environmental. These three categories have become known as the “triple bottom line.”

Traditional analysis of capital projects by public agencies focused primarily on the financial component and functional benefits internal to the utility. In contrast, the triple bottom line evaluation incorporates social and environmental effects in the project evaluation. This can be challenging, as costs and benefits in the social and environmental arenas are inherently hard to define and quantify. At Seattle Public Utilities the economist supporting each Project Development Plan assists the project Specifier to identify and evaluate these effects.

Guidance on cost/benefit analysis at Seattle Public Utilities directs staff to include both internal and external costs and benefits. Internal costs are those incurred by ratepayers of Seattle Public Utilities in carrying out the project. Internal benefits are those achieved for Seattle Public Utilities’ customers. External costs and benefits are those affecting other parties, such as the public at large, other City departments, other jurisdictions or Indian tribes, as well as the natural environment. This comprehensive analysis enables Seattle Public Utilities to make well-informed choices that support efficient allocation of both its own resources and societal resources, and also to address equity issues in its decisions.

Seattle Public Utilities develops a “risk signature” for each project, which is also incorporated in the evaluation. Risk analysis may be used to quantify risks in any of the three categories: financial, social, or environmental. For all risk signatures, a risk cost is developed and included in the cost/benefit comparison. Problems assigned a “high” or “critical” risk signature require more thorough analysis, as well as consideration of risk mitigation strategies.

Seattle Public Utilities uses various techniques to quantify costs and benefits, and to translate them into monetary values. Monetization techniques must be matched with the type of cost or benefit involved. Techniques include direct market valuation; indirect market valuation such as hedonic estimation, travel-cost methodology and other techniques; and contingent valuation using surveys for non-market values. Risk cost is also monetized using an analysis of possible outcomes and the probabilities of those outcomes.

Not every project warrants microscopic examination of all costs and benefits. The level of analysis must be matched to the cost of the investment, and the value of the information needed in the project evaluation. For example, in some cases the analysis can be completed and decisions made without converting certain costs and benefits to monetary values. This simplifies the procedure considerably.

PROJECT EXAMPLE

One of the many projects analyzed using this procedure in recent years was the proposal to modify temporary pumping facilities used in dry years to utilize inaccessible storage capacity within Seattle Public Utilities’ Morse Lake impoundment. Under normal operating conditions, the water level in Morse Lake fluctuates between 1532 feet (466.9 meters) and 1563 feet (476.4 meters) above sea level. Water stored below 1532 feet (466.9 meters) cannot be accessed using gravity flow. Seattle Public Utilities operates two sets of pumps mounted on barges to access water below 1532 feet (466.9 meters). However this practice has proven problematic for a number of reasons. Activating the pumps requires significant lead time, and it is difficult to know in any given year whether they will actually be needed. As a result, mobilization of the

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pumps, with significant costs, is necessary even in many years when final water supply conditions do not require use of inaccessible storage capacity in Morse Lake (Figure 1.1).

1532 1534 1536 1538 1540 1542 1544 1546 1548 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20% 22% 24% 26% 28% 30% 32% 34% 36% 38% 40% Probability M o rs e L a k e M in im u m E le v a ti o n (F e e t) Notice to Proceed Mobilize Pumps Begin Pumping

Minimum Water Surface Elevations and Their Probabilities Given 150 MGD Average Annual Demand

Note: 150 MGD = 568 megaliters per day

Figure 1.1 Expected Frequency of Minimum Water Surface Elevations, Morse Lake Reservoir

There are several other risks associated with the current system for tapping inaccessible storage capacity. Fuel storage needed for pump generators poses risks to water quality. The use of barge-mounted pumps poses inherent hazards on a large lake situated in a mountainous area where high winds can occur. Moreover, the pumps themselves are aging and could fail at a time when they are needed.

Given this situation, Seattle Public Utilities has examined a range of alternatives. After initial consideration of nine options, the following four were analyzed in the most recent Project Development Plan:

Option 0: Retain status quo;

Option 1: Improve Existing System;

Option 5: Land-based Pump Station and Land Discharge; and

Option 7: Submersible Pumps with Underwater Discharges to Existing Dike.

Costs and benefits of each option were analyzed, and net present value was calculated to allow for comparisons. Benefits that were key to making a choice among options included the avoidance of “false mobilization” costs, and reductions in risks. In addition, as a result of the risks associated with the current system, Seattle Public Utilities’ water managers are forced to

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reliable pumping facilities. Therefore, consideration of the value of reducing unnecessary curtailments became a key factor in the cost/benefit analysis. This value hinges largely on social costs imposed on the public during curtailments, a consideration that is captured in the triple bottom line methodology.

Figure 1.2 displays how costs and benefits of the three action options (excluding status quo) compare, without considering the social costs of curtailment. When this factor is not included, the capital costs associated with improving the facilities outweigh the calculated benefits by US$9 to 16 million (Table 1.2).

Present Value CIP Costs of Pumping Alternatives Present Value Benefits of Pumping Alternatives

(Over and Above "Status Quo" CIP Costs) (Benefits = Avoided Costs)

$21,524,191 $21,802,869 $12,475,281 $0 $5,000,000 $10,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 $25,000,000

Option 1 Option 5 Option 7

$5,138,856 $5,780,646 $3,026,359 $0 $5,000,000 $10,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000 $25,000,000

Option 1 Option 5 Option 7

Component Failure Risk Costs Pumping Costs Mobilization Costs O&M Costs Benefits consist of reductions in:

Note: All Cost in US$

CIP – Capital Improvement Program

Figure 1.2 Cost and Benefits of the 3 Options (Without Social Benefits)

However, incorporation of social benefits yields a substantially different result. Curtailments require customers to make sacrifices such as accepting brown lawns at residences and public parks, not washing cars at the desired frequency, reducing showering, etc. New landscaping projects are deferred and the landscape industry experiences economic losses. SPU’s economists analyzed this in terms of loss of “consumer surplus” based on the utility’s demand curve for water. Taking into account the expected frequency of curtailments (one year in eight) the analysis estimated that Seattle Public Utilities’ customers faced an annualized cost of US$2.7 million from curtailments. Projected over 50 years and discounted at five percent, this translated into a present value cost of US$53 million. This factor alone was enough to offset the apparent differential between costs and benefits discussed above. With this factor included, the net present values of both Options 5 and 7 are approximately US$37 million (Table 1.2).

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Table 1.2 – Results of Cost/Benefit Analysis, US$

Status Quo Option 1 Option 5 Option 7

PV of Costs*

CIP O&M Mobilization Pumping

Risk of Component Failure Unnecessary Curtailments

Costs Net of Status Quo

CIP

Benefits (Avoided Costs)

Reduced O&M Reduced Mobilization Reduced Pumping Costs Reduced Failure Risks Eliminate Curtailments $63,328,186 $3,363,624 $4,784,584 $1,240,097 $285,138 $581,431 $53,073,312 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $72,777,109 $15,838,905 $1,782,536 $1,240,097 $285,138 $557,121 $53,073,312 $12,475,281 $12,475,281 $3,026,359 $3,002,048 $0 $0 $24,310 $0 $26,277,097 $25,166,493 $588,150 $194,123 $192,041 $136,291 N/A $21,802,869 $21,802,869 $58,853,957 $4,196,434 $1,045,974 $93,097 $445,140 $53,073,312 $26,640,209 $24,887,815 $775,899 $416,744 $228,749 $331,001 N/A $21,524,191 $21,524,191 $58,212,168 $4,008,685 $823,354 $56,388 $250,430 $53,073,312

NET PRESENT VALUE $0 -$9,448,923 $37,051,089 $36,687,977

NPV Excluding Curtailment** $0 -$9,448,923 -$16,022,223 -$16,385,335

* Includes the cost of unnecessary curtailments.

** i.e., the Net Present Value excluding the benefits of eliminating unnecessary curtailments. N/A – Not Applicable

The Project Development Plan summarizing this analysis also provided a discussion of unquantified risk costs. If curtailment were not considered in the analysis, decision makers could see that the value of avoided risk would need to be at least US$9 to 16 million in order to justify the investment (Table 1.2). The Project Development Plan also includes a sensitivity analysis, that shows the results are robust to changes in assumptions regarding discount rates, the frequency of curtailments, and other factors.

As a result of this analysis, Option 5 was selected for implementation.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

The procedure outlined in this case study offers Seattle Public Utilities a consistent and transparent process for making decisions on capital projects. All capital investments greater than US$250,000 now are required to go through this process prior to approval. The AMC, comprised of senior management at Seattle Public Utilities, is able to make sound decisions based on a well documented business case. Project expectations are well defined and alternatives are thoroughly examined. As demonstrated by the example above, consideration of the full range of costs and benefits using triple bottom line concepts leads to better decisions that are fully supported with facts and analysis.

Putting this program in place has not been without challenges. It has taken considerable effort to train staff in multiple branches of the organization in the techniques described here.

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However, Seattle Public Utilities’ management believes the payoffs from this approach are worth the effort.

Together with other aspects of the utility’s asset management program, this procedure has enabled Seattle Public Utilities to reduce capital costs. Capital spending needs covering the period from 2003 to 2008 were reduced approximately 20 percent while remaining within acceptable risk tolerances. Together with reductions in costs of operations and maintenance, this has also reduced the predicted growth in customer rates. In 2002 the monthly bill for all four utility services for a typical single-family residence was projected to reach US$127 by year 2010. A new forecast compiled in 2004 when the asset management program had been developed showed the 2010 average residential rate to be US$120, or 5.5 percent less than originally forecast2.

For more information on triple bottom line, see the report sponsored by Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (http://www.awwarf.org/research/topicsandprojects/execSum/3125.aspx):

Kenway, S., C. Howe, and S. Maheepala. 2007. Triple Bottom Line Reporting of Sustainable Water Utility Performance (Project #3125, Report 91179). USA: Awwa Research Foundation and American Water Works Association and United Kingdom: International Water Association.

2

Martin, Terry, May 2006, Asset Management at Seattle Public Utilities, the Australian Approach (unpublished presentation).

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CHAPTER 2 AMERICAN WATER CASE STUDY

CONTINUOUS LEAK DETECTION TO MONITOR CONDITION OF

WATER DISTRIBUTION PIPES

INTRODUCTION

This case study involves American Water, a private company delivering water and wastewater services to over 300 water systems throughout the USA. American Water has been pilot-testing a new approach to monitoring the condition of buried water distribution piping. The practice utilizes acoustic technology to detect leakage, coupled with daily data transmission using a fixed-network automatic meter reading (AMR) system. This enables continuous data collection and immediate detection of small leaks in system piping. Continuous leak detection enables American Water to identify small leaks before they become major main breaks, and also enables proactive scheduling of repair or replacement of problem mains. This reduces the cost of managing water mains as they age. This case study reviews American Water’s experience in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, where the demonstration of technology occurred.3

BACKGROUND

Searching for Methods to Find Leaks

Main breaks drive up maintenance costs, disrupt customer service, and waste water. A typical practice in most water systems is to react to main breaks when water is noticed at the surface or becomes evident in some other way. However, leaks can occur for a long period of time before being detected. Continuous low level water leakage often erodes adjacent soils and damages utilities and roads, raising the cost of repair and restoration once the leak becomes large enough to be found. In some instances leaks also lead to soil movements that damage property and present public safety hazards. In addition, main breaks identified through traditional methods can require an immediate response, with repair work performed after hours or on weekends or holidays when labor costs are higher than normal working hours.

Some utilities conduct periodic leak surveys. However American Water has found these programs to be expensive, often bearing poor results and providing only a “snapshot” of leaks identified at that time.

Asset managers at American Water became interested in developing an improved predictive approach because this offers a potential to achieve several benefits:

1. Reduce the damage caused by main breaks, thereby reducing costs of repair and restoration;

2. Permit early action to repair failing pipes and extend their lifespan;

3. Allow planned scheduling of repairs to failing mains, reducing labor costs for these repairs;

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While initiated independently by American Water, the work documented in this case study is also being utilized in a tailored collaboration project funded by AwwaRF in partnership with the National Research Council, Canada. (AwwaRF Project 3183.)

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4. Reduce unplanned water supply interruptions, improving customer service and fire protection; and

5. Reduce water losses, reducing the cost of supply and supporting overall resource management objectives.

Various proactive approaches to predicting main breaks can be applied. However there is no system that can really predict where and when a given pipe will fail. Predictive approaches depend on a variety of local factors such as soil type, pipe material, water chemistry and temperature. These factors hamper the prediction accuracy of available techniques. Statistical models require considerable data and are difficult to transfer from one locale to another.

A monitoring program for pipe leaks was selected for pilot demonstration testing at full scale because of continuing improvements in the necessary technologies and the strong relationship between pipe leaks and complete pipe failure.

Practice Demonstrated in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, USA

Connellsville is located in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania in a steep valley. Water supply for Connellsville is purchased from an adjacent system, at a cost that is relatively high in the US context: US$1.94 per thousand gallons (US$0.51 per thousand liters). The water source is the Youghiogheny River. This source can experience sharp changes in temperature throughout the year. Rapidly falling temperatures in the source water can introduce stresses in the metal distribution pipes, thus leading to a higher incidence of water main leaks in the fall and winter months.

American Water serves approximately 12,000 people in Connellsville. The distribution system has about 57 miles (91.7 kilometers) of water main. The town was established approximately 200 years ago and has a history of coal mining and related industries. Two-thirds of the pipe network is over 100 years old and includes a high proportion of galvanized, two-inch diameter piping.

Prior to the pilot demonstration program described in this case study, non-revenue water was approximately 27 percent of total water purchased. Non-revenue water included leakage as well as intentional uses such as fire flows, flushing and blowoffs used to alleviate aesthetic problems with water quality.

CONTINUOUS LEAK DETECTION PROGRAM

There are two key elements to American Water’s continuous leak detection program in Connellsville. First, the program uses continuous acoustic monitoring devices and associated data processing software. Second, the program uses an AMR system to relay data from the field to a central computer where analysts can process and interpret the acoustic data. Both of these elements are described here.

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Acoustic Monitoring

The Connellsville pilot system uses an acoustic monitoring system called MLOG®, provided by Flow Metrix of Maynard, Massachusetts. While this case study describes MLOG®, other acoustic monitoring systems can also be tailored to this type of application. Figure 2.1 displays an MLOG® sensor.

Figure 2.1 MLOG® Sensor (at left) Adjacent to a Water Meter

The acoustic sensors were attached to a subset of service lines in close proximity to service meters. Approximately 500 sensors were placed at regular intervals throughout the Connellsville distribution system, which has about 5,000 service connections. With a listening range of 300 to 500 feet (about 91 to 153 meters), this enabled acoustic coverage of most of the distribution system. The sensors record acoustic data each night. Data from the sensor network is compiled daily and analyzed at a central computer to identify possible leaks and assist field crews in determining locations for field visits.

A crew comprised of an analyst and two field staff was formed to investigate suspected leaks. Careful analysis is required to distinguish noise emitted from leaks and noise emitted by water uses, leaking plumbing fixtures on the customer’s property, and background noise from non-water equipment such as power transformers, heaters, compressors and air conditioners. However, American Water operations staff were quickly able to learn how to distinguish acoustic characteristics that represented leaks, and no formal training on this was needed. A leak investigator was assigned to distinguish actual leaks from false positives through a data correlation procedure involving data from several acoustic sensors as well as AMR data that helped distinguish leaks on the customer property. A brief field visit for remaining candidate leaks serves to confirm whether excavation is warranted. Once a leak is confirmed, a repair crew excavates and fixes the leaking pipe, usually within 24 to 72 hours of initial detection.

Figure 2.2 displays typical data from the acoustic sensor. The graph shows a leak detected on December 7 and repaired December 19. The yellow line represents a full range of frequencies detected by the sensors, while the gray and blue lines depict specific frequency ranges that correlate with different types of sounds detected. A dotted red line displays

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background noise. These patterns help the analyst distinguish leaks from other noises, and determine what type of leak to look for.

Figure 2.2 Graphic Display of Acoustic Data

The sensors are capable of detecting leaks as low as one gallon per minute (3.785 liters per minute). Batteries are used to power the sensors. Sensor life is limited by battery life, expected to be 15 years.

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) System

The Connellsville pilot demonstration uses an AMR system to transmit acoustic data to a central computer. The Connellsville system is a fixed network AMR provided by Hexagram (Cleveland, OH). Mobile radio-read systems can also be deployed.

One advantage of coupling the acoustic system with an AMR system is that metered flows related to on-site water uses and plumbing fixture leaks can be readily separated from other acoustic data. This is because high-resolution data on customer use (flow through the meter) can be compared directly with the acoustic record.

Results from Connellsville

The number of leaks identified for repair during the pilot demonstration increased by 83 percent, compared with a pre-pilot period. There were 119 leaks detected during the pilot period, compared with 65 over the pre-pilot period. This comparison covers the same number of months

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More than half of the leaks identified in 2005 (24 of 46) were repaired before leaking water surfaced. Another 10 leaks were identified by the acoustic sensors, but surfaced before repairs were made. Twelve leaks surfaced without being identified by the acoustic sensors. Some of these apparently surfaced almost immediately after the leak occurred. Similar results were experienced in 2006.

Non-revenue water has been reduced by 16 percent (from approximately 27 percent before the pilot began, to only 11 percent now). This has resulted from a combination of leak reduction (13.5 percent) and an effort to reduce system flushing for water quality purposes (2.5 percent). This has reduced the operational cost of purchasing water from an adjacent water authority by nearly US$180,000 used per year.

One important advantage of the program is that leak repairs can be scheduled to be performed while leaks remain small. This reduces damage to road substrate, adjoining utilities, and properties, which reduces restoration costs. Scheduling repairs also reduces overtime labor and helps to control disruption experienced by water customers. In addition, by permitting identification and repair of leaks earlier, field repairs during the coldest months can be reduced. This helps to reduce repair costs that tend to be higher under freezing conditions and more limited daylight hours.

As a side benefit, the acoustic monitoring has also been useful in identifying leaks occurring on the customer’s property. This can allow notification to customers of leaks they are experiencing, prior to the customer receiving a large water bill. This improved customer service is expected to reduce customer complaints related to unexpectedly high water bills.

There are limitations to this program. Even with careful analysis, false positives can still occur. However, virtually all false positives are eliminated from consideration based on either careful data analysis or a brief field visit. In addition, not every leak that surfaced in Connellsville was detected by the acoustic system. Also, the acoustic signal is less robust when plastic piping is present.

With the detailed leak information available from the acoustic monitoring system, more intensive analysis of main breaks is being explored. Since leaks can be identified as soon as they occur, the timing and location of leaks can be correlated with transient factors such as changes in water temperature and surge conditions, as well as static factors such as pipe material, age and soil type. With more leak repairs, data can also be gathered on the physical characteristics of the leaking pipe. These data also permit more in-depth analysis of the economics of allowing leaks to continue versus making immediate repairs. All of these elements contribute to improved management of aging water mains within American Water’s system.

The utility plans to continue evaluating competing equipment and vendors, for both the acoustic sensors and AMR system.

The pilot demonstration project in Connellsville has been quite successful in improving condition monitoring of water mains. American Water has reduced its unit cost for repairing main breaks by an estimated US$400 for each break repaired. In addition, the utility’s estimates show costs associated with expensive purchased water have been cut by nearly US$180,000 per year by reducing water losses.

The utility estimates that a full system for AMR and acoustic monitoring would cost approximately US$750,000 for this system. This includes the cost of meter replacement. The savings in purchased water resulting from reduced water losses provide a financial benefit and

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lowers the payback period for installing AMR from approximately twelve years to three years in the Connellsville system (the payback calculation incorporates additional cost savings from reduced meter-reading and customer service). In addition, the program now provides an improved understanding of system-wide main condition and the specific static and transient conditions that cause main breaks.

The system is not 100 percent accurate and undetected main breaks occur. Research indicates that about 25 percent of the leaks in Connellsville come to the surface too quickly for acoustic detection to permit advance warning. This is especially true of circumferential breaks in cast iron water mains.

Despite these limitations, American Water sees considerable advantages to using continuous acoustic monitoring as an element of its condition monitoring program for buried water mains. The utility is now experimenting with transferring this technology to larger water systems, and will continue evaluating financial payoffs and other benefits for systems with different piping and service area characteristics.

For more information on this project by American Water, Awwa Research Foundation, and National Research Centre (Canada), please refer to:

Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF). 2008. Project Snapshot: Continuous System Leak Monitoring--From Start To Repair #3183. [Online]. Available: <http://www.awwarf.org/research/TopicsAndProjects/projectSnapshot.aspx?pn=3183>. Cited April 1, 2008]

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CHAPTER 3 LAS VEGAS VALLEY WATER DISTRICT CASE STUDY

USE OF ELECTRONIC MOBILE AND FIELD SOLUTIONS

BY LAS VEGAS VALLEY WATER DISTRICT

INTRODUCTION

The Las Vegas Valley Water District (District) was formed as a non-profit governmental subdivision of the State of Nevada, USA, and is a quasi-municipal corporation that was created by special act of the Nevada Legislature in 1947. The District was established to acquire and distribute water to customers in the Las Vegas Valley, including the unincorporated metropolitan area of Clark County and the City of Las Vegas. The District began operations on July 1, 1954 and helped build the City of Las Vegas’ water delivery system. The District now provides water to more than one million people in Southern Nevada. This area is growing rapidly, and responding efficiently to development interests is an important aspect of the District’s day-to-day operations and long term asset management program.

BACKGROUND

The District formed their Asset Management (AM) group in early 2003. The AM group is a stand-alone entity that resides within the District’s operations department. The department’s strategic plan states that the asset management goal is:

To develop, communicate, and integrate a management strategy for assets and maintenance that emphasizes return on investment and sustainability of

infrastructure while achieving desired levels of service to our customers over the lifecycle of District assets.

A successful AM program relies on efficient data collection during the entire lifecycles of assets. The District has initiated numerous mobile and field initiatives utilizing both wireless and docking technologies to assist in AM and customer service. The focus of this discussion is on the Mobile Inspection Data Acquisition System (MIDAS) and the ViryaNet System, which are an integral part of the daily work of District field staff. In addition to these two mobile solutions, four field applications are briefly discussed.

The District’s mobile and field solution systems described in this case study are used to collect many pieces of data that support related utility functions. These include acceptance of developer construction improvements, inspection processes, meter reading and services, management information, risk assessment and risk management.

MIDAS – Mobile Inspection Data Acquisition System

MIDAS was jointly developed by the District and the private company, Gatekeeper Systems of Pasadena, California using today’s technology for both system development and system use. MIDAS facilitates the documentation required as District inspectors perform more than 100 field inspections through the development life of a single, new subdivision or commercial property. On average, the utility staff conducts 300 inspections per day. At any

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given time, the District may track about 1,150 developer projects. Thus, this is a substantial workload requiring rapid response and accurate record keeping.

The District has deployed 30 mobile units on Panasonic Toughbook laptop computers. The District selected this ruggedized computer because inspectors spend a substantial amount of time on construction sites and need equipment that can endure tough environmental conditions. Each truck is equipped for wireless connectivity (via cell phone towers, using mobile wireless broadband services provided by telephone companies) and is capable of determining exact location using Global Positioning System (GPS).

As the District service area is rapidly expanding, the number of inspections also increases. The MIDAS system enables each inspector to perform more inspections daily than they did previously since they do not need to spend as much time in the office at the beginning and the end of the day. The system did not eliminate the need to hire more inspectors but it did hold the required number of new inspectors down. Also, MIDAS helps ensure relevant inspection data is collected and documented in the field. This is accomplished by structured inspection forms that require completion of relevant inspection data fields before transmittal. MIDAS contains information on Pass-Fail status, alerts an inspector about the need for an inspection and is used to collect related additional data regarding the project such as the results of pressure and chlorine tests. MIDAS also enables the inspector to obtain information on other projects allowing them to fill in for absent inspectors when needed or address the needs of customers more responsively.

MIDAS is also used by inspectors to schedule GPS data collection by the GPS/Survey staff. GPS data is collected the day following the inspection and is available for interested technical staff within 24 hours. As a result of having this timely GPS data, appurtenances can be located in areas of heavy construction where there are few monuments such as curb and gutter from which to locate facilities.

Inspection data is evaluated to determine trends that may be associated with one or more contractors or developers. A trend in the frequency of failed inspections relating to some aspect of a construction job may indicate that a contractor or subcontractor needs to change the way work is done in future jobs.

Development of MIDAS followed an initial project phase where system requirements were documented. Requirements recognized both technical considerations (e.g., interface with existing legacy system) and user’s input. To ensure system longevity, scalability and adaptability to future needs, the District and Gatekeeper developed MIDAS using industry standard software. Some of the advanced technical solutions employed in MIDAS development and use are presented as follows:

• The system leverages wireless and store-forward technologies that accommodate potential loss of coverage. If the wireless connection is lost, the system retains the data gathered while the inspector continues work. When the wireless is reconnected, data is transferred between the laptop and the office system asynchronously without inspector intervention.

• The system was built with user-definable validation data fields (drop-down field selection tables), allowing for validation of data entered by field inspectors.

• When a particular inspection type is selected on the laptop, only the associated fields are displayed on screen. This “dynamic data field display” means that inspectors

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need only view and complete fields required for the inspection they are currently performing.

• The system allows inspectors to download and view any inspection in the system and transfer any inspection data to another inspector as required. For example, an

inspection that is not started can be reassigned to another inspector who will be onsite another day.

• The system is easy to use, as reported by the inspectors.

• The Infor Public Sector Essentials system (product name) supports the developer permitting and inspection process. Formerly, this system was called the Hansen Technologies Permitting System. Infor acquired Hansen Technologies in June 2007. • When an inspection results in a failure or non-approval, the system automatically

issues a follow-up quality assurance inspection. When the cause of a failing

inspection is corrected, the system shows the quality assurance inspection is resolved. Prior to a project’s acceptance, the Infor Public Sector Essentials system helps ensure that all of the project’s quality assurance exceptions are settled.

• Facility View, the District’s mapping application associated with MIDAS, provides infrastructure and facility layers for use in the field. The system uses Autodesk Map Guide (product name) and Gatekeeper’s Navigate Software (product name) as the user interface.

• Inspectors may access digital drawings through an encrypted system tied to the Facility View system. This includes approved developer drawings and other drawings associated with the inspection.

• Complimentary to the MIDAS and Infor systems, contractors or developers can log into an Internet site and request inspections. In the month of April 2007 alone, there were approximately 1,000 developer hits on the system. Before this system was automated, developers had to schedule a request before 2:00 PM (1400 hours) the day before the inspection. The new system has no cutoff time. The District estimates that the return on their investment was achieved in six months.

• New Inspectors receive their training on the MIDAS system from more experienced inspectors who already use MIDAS.

ViryaNet ServiceHub Mobile Application – Mobile Work Order Management

Approximately 200 users from eight work areas currently utilize the ViryaNet ServiceHub Mobile Application (product name) in their day-to-day operations. ViryaNet is a customizable off-the-shelf application. Meter Field Services uses ViryaNet for meter reading and field activity work sent from the customer care and billing system. Completion data is captured and the appropriate next action is queued in the customer care system. The Meter Shop uses ViryaNet to dispatch and provide completion data for preventative maintenance and unscheduled work orders sent from Avantis (product name), the District’s CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) and asset management system. The Facilities Maintenance and Grounds Maintenance area uses ViryaNet to dispatch and provide completion data for work orders created in the Avantis system. Fleet Services uses ViryaNet to dispatch and provide completion data for preventative maintenance and unscheduled work orders sent from the Avanitis system. Distribution field crews and preventative maintenance groups utilize

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ViryaNet to report completion information which is routed through Avanits or through the customer care and billing system. Customer Service uses ViryaNet for investigations, bench tests and high consumption work types originating from the customer care and billing system. Water Waste staff, who address conservation measures and enforcement, uses ViryaNet for field activity work sent from the customer care and billing system as well as to create water waste investigation records resulting from their patrols.

Links provided within ViryaNet to in-house developed applications provide mobile field employees with the ability to fully research historical information real-time in the field. District digital assets have been leveraged by integrating ViryaNet into host applications such as the customer care and billing system, Avantis and the time entry/time keeping system.

The hardware used is a combination of Panasonic Toughbooks and the General Dynamics’ GoBook XR-1 rugged wireless notebooks. These units are mounted in the trucks and connected to the network through SecurID (product name) over a telephone company’s wireless network with internal aircards or mounted brick modems.

Other Field Solution Systems Used at the District

In addition to the MIDAS and ViryaNet mobile solutions, the District uses a number of field solution systems which are briefly described below:

Locator System – Call USA

The District uses Call USA (product name) to automate the location and marking of buried assets as required by Nevada revised statues (NRS) 455.080 – 455.180. The system automatically receives, maps and dispatches “call before you dig” tickets (requests for information) to facility locators in the field for disposition. FacilityView is also integrated with this application for access to maps and engineering record drawings in the field.

Firefly – AMR Mobile Solution

The Automatic Meter Reading (product name) system is used to manage and read water meters. The District is currently deploying the Datamatic AMR radio system solution. Datamatic optical sensor Fireflies are being attached to all of the District's existing straight reading water meters. The Automatic Meter Reading system was piloted for nearly two years before implementing full deployment. The District's 352,000 residential, commercial and industrial meters should all be transitioned to mobile radio read capability by June 2008. The Fireflies not only enable the District to collect monthly meter reads for billing purposes but maintain 74 days of actual water consumption data on site for use in customer service and conservation efforts. Nine mobile receivers now perform the previous functions of 25 manual meter readers and the new system has eliminated all safety issues related to confined space entry. The system also notifies applicable staff of potential on site consumer leaks by identifying all accounts that record a minimum 10 gallons (37.9 liters) per hour usage for 24 hours prior to reading. The District indicates that a cost / benefit analysis identified some US$31 million in direct hard cost savings over the life of the hardware with an additional US$44 million in related benefits to its customer service and conservation divisions.

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Distribution Permalog Logger System – Preventive Asset Management Tool

The Permalog (product name) units are deployed in areas of the distribution system to provide continuous monitoring of leakage. Easily installed onto a valve’s operating nut inside a valve chamber, they are retained in place by a strong magnet. Each Permalog unit adapts itself automatically to its environment. As soon as a possible leak is detected, the Permalog unit enters an alarm state and transmits a radio signal to indicate a potential "LEAK" condition. These radio signals are collected using specially equipped vehicles and then uploaded into network applications for analysis. From there, work orders are created for suspected leaks and sent electronically to the ViryaNet mobile application to be assigned for investigation.

Since 2004 when the city officially went on a stage 2 drought alert, the District detected just over 1,000 underground leaks using Permalog and by conservative methods through mid 2007. Assuming an average leak rate of two gallons (7.6 liters) per minute, the District estimates that it saved 282 acre feet (347,706 m3) of water in that period.

Wachs System – Preventive Asset Management Tool for Valves

The Wachs system (product name) is used to exercise valves and detect variance in torque during the exercising of the valves throughout the District’s distribution system. The valve turning crank mounted on a truck senses the torque at 1/5 of a turn and records the torque in a data box. Readings are used to predict a valve failure enabling the District to be proactive in valve repair and replacement.

In more detail, the valves are exercised (turned) on a regular basis throughout the distribution system. The District implements this preventative proactive maintenance program to help ensure that the valves will function to isolate a water main if it is breached. District valves are exercised at least once a year for critical valves, at least once every three years for semi-critical valves, and at least once every five years for non-semi-critical valves to keep them from seizing up. Several things can go wrong with a valve including bent shafts, worn seals, and unexpected corrosion, which can impair proper operation. As the field crew exercises the valve, they will open and close it several times, counting the turns. The possible number of turns is specified in the valve maintenance literature. As the valve turns, the required torque is measured in five equal points of a circumference. The torque is measured when opening and closing. Engineers then analyze the turning torque data to determine if there are any malfunctions with a valve. All of this information leads to a decision on whether to replace the valve or repair it. Torque patterns are often consistent with specific problems. If an engineer recognizes one or more of those patterns in the data, a fairly good diagnosis of a problem can be made.

The District has invested in and applied cutting edge, state of the art technology in both its day to day operations and its AM program. This investment coupled with the wide spread acceptance and use by District staff, has increased efficiency, will save millions of dollars in operating costs, and facilitates the collection and integration of data for use in improving AM programs.

MIDAS enables District inspectors to manage their workloads efficiently and effectively in the field where they spend most of their time, as well as engender more effective business processes. The many benefits of MIDAS include:

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• Developers can enter MIDAS from their own office or remote locations and request inspections automatically one day ahead.

• Dispatchers send inspection related information directly to inspectors in the field based on the location assignments of the inspector. GPS modem boxes in the inspectors’ trucks identify inspectors’ locations.

• The use of data field validation means inspector’s reports contain more relevant details, are easier to understand (not subject to illegible hand writing), and are completed on time.

• Inspection results are stored on each inspector’s laptop as well as the Infor system, so that the results are always available to the inspector. This saves time, as inspectors do not have to return to the office to find the needed results or forms.

• MIDAS’ built in business rules ensure that “failed inspections” requiring additional work is completed.

• Developers must pass a prerequisite inspection before a successor inspection can be requested.

• Because completed inspections are immediately uploaded from the laptop to the office system, real-time inspections are available for developer viewing almost as soon as the inspection is complete.

• While the Inspection Quality Assurance team executes quality control checks on completed inspections, they also gather GPS data points for each facility. The

Inspection Quality Assurance team has been able complete many more quality checks since using the new system and the data are available quicker using the wireless communications.

• The field mapping integration enables inspectors to know the field location of all infrastructure nodes for a safer inspection process.

• Using GPS, allows all pipes, valves, vaults and hydrants to be positioned for each project. The system also allows verification and redlining (corrections) to be performed in the field to reduce errors on the as-built drawings.

• Before MIDAS was automated, developers had to schedule a request before 2:00 PM (1400 hours). The new system has no cut-off time. The District estimates that the return on their investment was achieved in six months.

ViryaNet connects approximately 200 users from eight work areas with host system data and real-time access to the District’s digital assets. Dispatchers, crew leads, supervisors and managers have access to real-time, meaningful data on the work being performed and on the workforce while they perform the work. The benefits of ViryaNet include:

• The field crews can stay connected to the mobile system to receive newly dispatched work and provide updates on completed work throughout the day without having to receive phone calls or return to the office in the middle of the day.

• The mobile user has control over how to receive and process work throughout the day. New work can be created and automatically dispatched by mobile field employees or can be created by office employees in the host system.

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The field solution systems used by the District have provided the following positive results:

• The Locator System has reduced the work time by two to three hours per location based on the ability to pre-sort drawings and display them in the field.

• The Wachs and Permalog logger activities are operations and maintenance practices oriented towards reducing the risk of system failure. The Wachs system is a tool used in preventive maintenance on the water main valves in the water system. The

Permalog logger system is a tool to help identify leaks in the water mains while they are small. Both the Permalog logger and Wachs systems provide preventive asset management information that has enabled the District to resolve leaks and valve problems in a proactive, rather than reactive manner.

• The Firefly AMR system detects water meter problems early, and enables the District to proactively repair or replace the suspect meter.

For more information on the use of field computing systems in the USA, please refer to the ongoing project funded by Awwa Research Foundation and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.:

Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF). 2008. Project Snapshot: Field Computing Applications and Wireless Technologies for Water Utilities #3178. [Online]. Available: <http://www.awwarf.org/research/TopicsAndProjects/projectSnapshot.aspx?pn=3178>. Cited April 1, 2008]

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Drinking Water Asset Management Programs Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American Drinking Water Community

Drinking Water Asset Management Programs

Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American

Drinking Water Community

Drinking Water Asset Management Programs

Best Management Practice: Case Studies From the North American

Drinking Water Community

DISCLAIMER

CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CHAPTER 1

SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES CASE STUDY

DECISION-MAKING FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

CHAPTER 2

AMERICAN WATER CASE STUDY

CONTINUOUS LEAK DETECTION TO MONITOR CONDITION OF

WATER DISTRIBUTION PIPES

CHAPTER 3

LAS VEGAS VALLEY WATER DISTRICT CASE STUDY

USE OF ELECTRONIC MOBILE AND FIELD SOLUTIONS

BY LAS VEGAS VALLEY WATER DISTRICT