IMPLEMENTING A RISK-BASED ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

County Sanitation District 1 (CSD-1) provides wastewater collection services to the greater Sacramento, California area. CSD-1 recognizes that risk-based asset management offers long-term benefits to its customers through defining levels of service and controlling costs. As we adopt these new strategies, however, we are faced with a compelling question: Just how do we manage 300 employees, encouraging them to keep working productively, while making the changes necessary to meet tomorrow's challenges?CSD-1 has implemented a risk based asset management program in both the pipeline and pump station areas of the collection system. Though the two strategies are significantly different, they are both based on common ideas: incorporating dollar based risk into investment decisions, and using service levels as a measure of performance for staff, capital projects, and maintenance activities. By using these principles, CSD-1 is confident its customers will be given the service they expect at a rate they are willing to pay.CSD-1 began implementing the program with a “learning by doing” approach. This approach led to early acceptance of the program by showing that risk based asset management works when applied correctly, and every employee has a key role to play in the success of the program. This presentation will describe the programs being adopted and used in Sacramento and will share some practical lessons learned in the process.