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value, which is calculated as the total number of SSO occurrences per 100 miles of gravity sewer. This value is reported to the state water board and used as a benchmark by state regulators, environmental groups, and wastewater agency management. Prior to the implementation of improved business processes and related management tools, both agencies were consistently experiencing 50 or more SSOs per 100 sewer miles, while the state average is fewer than seven. This resulted in legal actions filed by various environmental groups and two separate court- mandated consent decree orders that established specific limits for SSO events, requirements for performance reporting, and substantial increases i n m a i n t e n a n c e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d s y s t e m m o n i t o r i n g . Failure to adhere to this sudden increase in workload would result in overwhelming fines and penalties for small cities with already limited financial resources. Approach Each agency implemented a complete computerized maintenance management system as part of the improvement process. Business processes were established that provided management data and tools to best direct the available resources. These included establishing a performance-based work plan and budget that related accounted resources with actual work accomplishment. Performance metrics were also identified that established benchmarks for productivity and unit costs that could be monitored through the use of standard outputs and reports. After determining the annual performance plan and budget for each maintenance activity, a monthly work calendar was developed to identify potential peaks in the workload and identify any need for additional contractor support. Short-term scheduling procedures aided by GIS outputs were established and utilized a combination of the performance plan, work calendar, and consent decree requirements as inputs when assigning crews to specific efforts. The CMMS was configured in each agency to support the established business processes and monitor critical parameters defined by management. Output reports were also developed that compared the planned values to actual work reporting in order to periodically monitor operational performance and affirm adherence to management goals. Results Each agency now has complete and transparent awareness of wastewater conditions and employee work effort, and has specific information available for all users of the system within two weeks of work completion. They have developed activity-based work plans that outline the annual work load distribution and unit cost estimates for all defined tasks. Guidelines include resource requirements, work method, and quality of results that relate all work to cost. These changes have resulted in a data-driven, focused approach based on business practices with direct accountability established. With these tools in place, each agency has experienced an approximately 90 percent decrease in SSO events per 100 sewer miles since implementation. The annual value for each agency is shown in Figure 1 starting at 61.9 SSOs per 100 miles for one and 57.5 for the other and ending with 7.6 and 4.6 SSO per 100 miles. Both agencies have shown consistent and dramatic improvement in performance with no additional resources assigned to wastewater collection maintenance groups in either case. These two agencies demonstrate that such an SSO problem can be addressed by establishing performance-based planning linked to assets and their conditions. This, along with real- time monitoring of work against specific goals and applying best management practices by dedicated employees, can help improve the environment with measurable results. n References 1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Washington, D.C. "Sanitary Sewer Overflows and Peak Flows", Updated February 2012. 2. EPA. "Report to Congress: Impacts and Control of CSOs and SSOs", Executive Summary. August 2004. Document No. EPA-833-R-04-001. 28 wateronline.com n Water Innovations CSOs/SSOs Billy Wright (bwright@laconsulting.com) is a senior consultant with LA Consulting. The company, established in 1993, provides a wide variety of planning, systems, and technology services applied to public agencies and municipalities with an emphasis on systems implementation and technical support for public works operations and maintenance. The firm's corporate headquarters is in Manhattan Beach, CA, about 20 miles west of Los Angeles. About The Author Figure 1