Overcoming the Overwhelming Tactics and Methods for Making Real Progress Implementing Asset Management: The Pinellas County Utilities Experience

Implementing an asset management program can appear to be an overwhelming challenge when considering the hundreds of thousands or even millions of assets owned and operated by water and wastewater utilities. Such was the case with Pinellas County Utilities (PCU), which provides water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services for the most densely populated county in Florida. Serving more than 520 square kilometers (200 square miles), PCU operates and maintains approximately 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) of water main, 1,770 kilometers (1,100 miles) of wastewater pipelines, and 483 kilometers (300 miles) of reclaimed water main, along with two advanced water reclamation facilities and one water treatment facility. This paper will outline how PCU managers made substantial advancements in how infrastructure was managed with relatively minimal resources by employing the Top-Down Risk-Based Approach (CH2M HILL, 2007), engaging a core group of knowledgeable and motivated employees, and developing straightforward methods for evaluating assets.