Full Description

Distribution system integrity is the most capital-intensive issue faced by water utilities.Considering the high replacement value of systems, repair, rehabilitation, andreplacement require sustained attention from management. Water utilities are concernedabout high investments required, quality of water in pipes, and appropriateness ofresearch products. This paper provides an overview of the issues and research findings todate, based on an AWWA Research Foundation (AWWARF) project on integrity of water supply infrastructure. The paperoffers a "systems view," with multiple perspectives of the problem and solutions,beginning with issue trees of the problem and its solution. Then, important managementquestions are answered about roles and responsibilities for solving the problem ofdistribution system integrity. Components of the problem divide into capital andoperating issues, then into indicators that include cost, level of service, water quality, andsocial disruption. These divide into nine indicators of distribution system effectivenessthat are similar to those developed in other AWWARF research. Solutions are illustratedwith an issue tree that includes knowing what to do, being capable of doing it, and beingmotivated to do it. These divide into categories of solutions, each of which yields one ormore management practices and assessment variables. The project has twentyparticipating utilities and will have completed three workshops by June of 2003, includingthe main workshop. This paper is a summary of part of the information that will beincluded in the project report, scheduled for release early in 2004. Includes 21 references, tables, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/15/2003 Number of Pages: 11File Size: 1 file , 260 KB