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Utility Optimization risk-based, asset-management approach to reduce maintenance costs, saving $5 million annually, while maintaining its high-quality utility services. The MSDGC operates and maintains 3,000 miles of combined and sanitary sewers, high- and low-pressure force mains, seven treatment plants, approximately 130 pump and lift stations, several package plants, real-time control facilities, high-rate treatment plants, levees, dams, and floodgates to protect the Mill Creek Valley. Annual operating costs are $180 million. The GCWW provides more than 130 million gallons of water a day to several counties in Ohio and Kentucky. Before distributing to customers, drinking water is tested more than 600 times from the source through the dis- tribution system to ensure the highest quality. To comply with regula- tory requirements, GCWW and MSDGC needed costly infrastructure improvements. Looking across both utilities, Cincinnati identified numerous ways to improve the effec- tiveness of its water and wastewater operations, including opportunities to save money by reexamining policy and administrative procedures. One example includes changing GCWW's policy to replace 30 miles of pipe every year at a cost of $40 million. The savings from replacing pipes based on risk rather than a set annual rate allowed the utility to make other more critical investments. Additionally, MSDGC and GCWW are combining administrative services to save between $68 million and $105 million over a 10-year period. Identifying quick wins and working with a bottom-up and top-down approach, Cincinnati is transforming the way it operates to keep costs low for ratepayers. Taking a long-term, community-wide approach to major investments, Cincinnati is effectively considering green infrastructure alternatives, economic development, and environmental and social costs, benefits, and risks. They are also engaging their workforce in new technology and maintenance efforts. Working with consultant experts, the city has developed strategic plans to align the utility missions with customer service level expectations, asset reliability, regulatory compliance, organizational efficiency, employee development, financial viability, and community sustainability. Additionally, MSDGC has been recognized for Excellence in Management by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for their significant efforts toward improved efficiency and effectiveness. The utility was also the recipient of Uptime Magazine's 2013 "Best Emerging Maintenance Reliability Program." Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) owns and operates New England's oldest and largest water and sewer system, providing water and sewer ser- vices to more than 1 million people through 1,500 miles of sewers and 1,000 miles of distribution piping. BWSC has faced increasing chal- lenges managing and main- taining its aging infrastruc- ture, including more intense storm events and regulatory scrutiny. Despite these hur- dles, BWSC has been able to provide rapid response to system failures, while recog- nizing the need to become proactive about identifying system needs before failures occurred. Through a comprehensive facilities planning, asset man- agement, and CMOM (capac- ity, management, operations, and maintenance) program, BWSC is able to respond quickly to system problems, provide comprehensive reporting to regulators, identify needed infrastructure repairs, and proactively plan for capital improvement projects. Numerous operational improvements are being implemented to dramatically increase system inspections and maintenance activities with limited staff through effi- cient field tablet applications, sophisticated risk-based task prioritization tools, and workflow mapping and streamlin- ing. The program began in 2011 and is approximately halfway through the planning stage, but BWSC has already made many significant changes to improve the function of their organization and meet their goals. Conclusion Utilities across the United States are following suit, looking for ways to reduce costs and stretch limited budgets. By conducting diagnostic assessments and taking a proactive approach through asset management, utilities and public works agencies can better identify focus areas and prioritize capital improvement projects based on asset performance. Sometimes simple solutions, like eliminating duplicate work processes or postponing expensive replacement or rehabili- tation projects, can yield immediate savings and lead to long-term solutions. 31 DPU utilized a business case evaluation approach to optimize its investment in the OARS Deep Sewer Tunnel and save $7.6M. DPU determined it could reduce the size of the tunnel's surge shafts without significantly increasing its risk exposure. (Credit: City of Columbus Dept. of Public Utilities) Scott Haskins is a senior VP and director of strategic consulting at CH2M HILL. He's active in leadership roles with water sector associations, serves on the EPA's Environmental Finance Advisory Board, and has been engaged in numerous finance, asset management, benchmarking, and utility management water research projects. wateronline.com ■ Water Online The Magazine 3 0 _ V E R T _ 0 2 1 4 E Z i n e _ C H 2 M H i l l _ D G . i n d d 2 30_VERT_0214 EZine_CH2M Hill_DG.indd 2 1 / 3 1 / 2 0 1 4 1 : 1 6 : 4 7 P M 1/31/2014 1:16:47 PM