Method for Comparative Performance Assessment and Evaluation of Consolidating Community Water Systems as a Regional Water System
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 13, Issue 4
Abstract
Community water systems (CWS) are facing significant external forces for change from decreasing water-resource availability, stricter water-quality regulations, decreasing levels of federal subsidy, increasing public scrutiny, decreasing financial health, and increasing infrastructure replacement costs. (The Environment Protection Agency defines a community water system as a public water supply service that serves at least 25 people or 15 connections year round.) The combination of these external forces necessitate increasing consolidation responses by small CWS. The results of the consolidation response are significant economy of scale benefits such as the elimination of service duplication and greater buying power through bulk-rate purchasing. However, the consolidation and subsequence operations of small CWS as a regional water system (RWS) requires the development of a method for comparative performance assessment and evaluation that facilitates open and transparent decision making. (A regional water system is defined as a collection of similar CWS that operate under a single governing authority.) The goal of this paper is to propose such a method for comparative PAE for consolidating CWS that operate as a RWS. The objectives of the paper are: (1) to propose a standard efficiency metric (SEM) parameter for the performance assessment of CWS; (2) to propose a standard efficiency comparison metric (SECM) parameter for the summative evaluation of performance that permits benchmarked comparison among CWS; and (3) to demonstrate how the proposed SEM and SECM parameters promote open and transparent decision making within the RWS.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
Work completed with support from EPA Star Fellowship No. 91594101 and National Science Foundation Career Award No. 9984318.
References
Akosa, G., Franceys, R., Barker, P., and Weyman, T. (1995). “Efficiency of water-supply and sanitation projects in Ghana.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 1(1), 56–65.
Ammons, D. N. (1995). Accountability for performance: Measurement and monitoring in local government, International City/Council Management Association, Washington, D.C.
Ammons, D. N. (2001). Municipal benchmarks: Assessing local performance and establishing community standards, 2nd Ed., Sage, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Andrews, B. H., Gowen, T. L., and Schumann, P. D (1999). “Assessing performance bench marking.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 91(11), 56–64.
Arditi, D., and Messiha, H. M. (1999). “Life cycle cost analysis in municipal organizations.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 5(1), 1–10.
Banker, R. D., and Morey, R. C. (1986). “DEA: Efficiency analysis for exogenously fixed inputs and outputs.” J. Oper. Res. Soc., 34, 513–521.
Berstein, H. M (2003). “Measuring productivity: An industry challenge.” Civ. Eng. (N.Y.), 73(12), 46–53.
Broom, C., Jackson, M., Harris, J., and Vogelsang-Coombs, V. (2001). Performance measurement: Concepts and techniques, 3rd Ed., American Society for Public Administration, Center for Accountability and Performance, Washington, D.C.
Brown, Q. (2001). Whole utility management integrating programs for the future, Water Environment Foundation Highlights, Alexandria, Va.
Brueck, T. M. (2000). “Developing and implementing a performance measurement system.” Project 99-WWF-7, Vol. 1, Water Environment Foundation, Alexandria, Va.
Burnaby, P. A., and Herhold, S. H. (1990). Service efforts and accomplishments reporting: Water and wastewater treatment, Vol. 8, Government Accounting Standards Board, Norwalk, Conn., 287–308.
Caulfield, H. P, (2000). “Early federal guidelines for water resource evaluation.” Water resources update No. 116, American Water Resources Association, Middleburg, Va., 14–17.
Charnes, A., Cooper, W. W., and Rhodes, E. (1978). “Measuring the efficiency of decision making units.” Eur. J. Oper. Res., 2, 429–444.
Coelho, S. T. (1997). Performance in water distribution: A systems approach, Wiley, New York.
Crotty, P. A. (2002). “Selection and definition of performance indicators for water and wastewater utilities.” Qualserve Benchmark Clearinghouse Program, American Water Works Association, Denver.
Department of Energy (DOE). (1996). “Guidelines for performance measurement.” DOE-G-120.1-5, DOE, Washington, D.C.
Donahue, E. J., and Hellenbrand, V. V. (2002). “GASB-34: Impact on municipal water utilities.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 94(10), 34–38.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1999). “25 years of safe drinking water act: History and trends.” EPA-816-R-99-007, EPA, Washington, D.C.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2001). “1999 drinking water infrastructure needs survey: Second report to congress.” EPA-816-R-01-004, EPA, Washington, D.C.
Epstein, P. D. (1984). Using performance measurement in local government: A guide to improving decisions, performance, and accountability, Wiley, New York.
Foxon, T. J., Butler, D., Dawes, J. K., Hutchinson, D., Leach, M. A., Pearson, P. J. G., and Rose, D. (2000). “An assessment of water demand management options from a systems approach.” J. Inst. Water Environ. Manage., 14(3), 171–178.
Ginley, J. (2001). “Achieving excellence.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 93(8), 32–36.
Hall, M. W. (2002). “River basin planning: Title II river basin commissions, water resource impact.” Vol. 3, American Water Resources Association, Middleburg, Va., 23–26.
Hatry, H. P. (1999). Performance measurement—Getting results, Urban Institute Press, Washington D.C.
Hatry, H. P., Sullivan, J. M., Fountain, J. R., and Kremer, L. (1999). Service efforts and accomplishments reporting: An overview, Vol. 1, Government Accounting Standards Board, Norwalk, Conn., 1–49.
Heller, M., Von Sacken, E. W., and Gerstberger, R. L. (1999). “Water utilities as integrated business,” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 91(11), 72–83.
Landry, C. J. (2002). The new economy of water, Water Resources Impact. Vol. 4, American Water Resources Association, Middleburg, Va., 2–3.
Louis, G. E. (1996). “Regional integrated municipal solid waste management in the northeastern United States.” Ph.D. thesis, Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh.
Major, D. (1977). “Multiobjective water resources planning.” Water resources monograph 4, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.
Mckay, D. T., Rens, K. L., Greimann, L. F., and Stecker, J. H. (1999). “Condition index assessment for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 5(2), 52–60.
Mckee, M., and Riley, J. P. (2001). “A systems approach theory to addressing water resources management problems.” Proc. AWRA/UCOWR Summer Specialty Conf., Decision Support Systems for Water Resources Management, 221–126.
Nelson, R. E., Hsiung, P. H., and Witt, A. A., 1999 “Optimization of collection system maintenance frequency and system performance.” EPA Cooperative Agreement No. CX-824902-01-0, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Nutt, M. (2002). “Total system performance assessment: A methodology supporting risk.” Proc., INSIGHT, INCOSE, Seattle, 5–9.
Ostrom, V., and Bish, F. P. (1977). Comparing urban service delivery systems, structure, and performance, Vol. 12, Sage, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Paralez, L. L. (1999). “Utility bench marking on the west coast.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 91(11), 65–71.
Paralez, L. L. (2001). “Performance Assessment in US Water and Wastewater Utilities.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 93(10), 68–76.
Rogers, J. W. (2005). “A standardized performance assessment and evaluation model for community water systems.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
Rogers, J. W., and Louis, G. E. (2005). “A standard efficiency metric for evaluating the performance of community water systems.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 97(10), 76–86.
Rogers, J. W., and Louis, G. E. (2007). “A Financial Resource Allocation Model for Regional Water Systems.” Int. Trans. Oper. Res., 14, 25–37.
Rourke, B. C., and Smith, B. P. (1997). “Community Water System Survey.” EPA-815-R-97-0016, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Saad, G. H. (1994). “Solid waste systems: Performance measures and policy implication.” J. Resour. Manage. Technol., 93(6), 41–54.
Saleth, R. M., and Dinar, A. (1999). “Evaluating institutions and water sector performance.” Technical Paper No. 447, World Bank, Washington, D.C.
Scharfenaker, M. A. (2001). “Drawn of the replacement era: Reinvesting in the drinking water infrastructure.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 93(7), 20–32.
Scharfenaker, M. A. (2002). “USEPA: 3% solution can close the infrastructure gap.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 94(11), 14–24.
Sexton, T. R., Sleeper, S., and Teggart, R. E. Jr. (1994). “Improving pupil transportation in North Carolina.” Interfaces, 24(1), 87–103.
Shih, J. S., Harrington, W., Pizer, W. A., and Gillingham, K. (2004). “Economies of scale and technical efficiency in community water systems.” Discussion Paper 04-15, Resources for the future, Washington, D.C.
Sproles, N. (2002). “Formulating measures of effectiveness.” J. Syst. Eng., 5(4), 253–263.
Tigue, P., and Strachota, D. (2001). The use of performance measures in city and county budgets, 3rd Ed. Government Finance Officers Association, Chicago.
Urquhart, T. P., and Sklar, D. C. (2005). “Establishing service levels: The driving force of a utility.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 97(1), 22–24.
Utility Communication Association Sandards Committee (UCA). (2001). “Utility communication architecture.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., TD.169.J68, 68–81.
Van Der Fels-Klerx, I. H. J., Goossens, L. H. J., Saatkamp, H. W., and Horst, S. H. S. (2002). “Elicitation of quantitative data from a heterogeneous expert pane: Formal process and application in animal health.” Risk Anal., 22(1), 67–81.
Water Environmental Federation and Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (WEF/AMSA). (2002). “Environmental management system integration project final report.” EPA cooperative agreement No. CP-829-05-101-0, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Water Infrastructure Network Coalition (WIN). (2000). Clean and safe water for the 21st century: A renewed national commitment to the water and wastewater infrastructure, WIN, Washington, D.C.
Westerhoff, G. P., Gale, D., Reiter, P. D., Haskins, S. A., and Gilbert, J. B. (1998). The changing water utility: Creative approaches to effectiveness and efficiency, American Water Works Association, Denver.
Willis, K. G., McMahon, P. L., Garrod, G. D., and Powe, N. A. (2002). “Water companies’ service performance and environmental tradeoffs.” J. Environ. Plann. Manage. 45(3), 363–379.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 13 • Issue 4 • December 2007
Pages: 280 - 286
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 15, 2006
Accepted: Dec 8, 2006
Published online: Dec 1, 2007
Published in print: Dec 2007
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.