Measuring Your Utility's Performance with the Ten Attributes

Most water utilities recognize the correlation between performance measurement and effective utility management. Strong performance measurement, and management of that data, establishes greater transparency that supports continuous improvement and strengthens our utilities. The Effective Utility Management primer, produced by the Environmental Protection Agency and six national water/wastewater associations, includes sample measures that serve as a guide to utilities seeking to improve their performance measurement practices.Recent enhancements to the performance indicators within the industry's QualServe continuous improvement program now support even stronger performance management strategies for water utilities by aligning directly with the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities (Ten Attributes).Columbus Water Works (CWW) of Columbus, Georgia, is one of the utilities that not only recognizes the direct correlation between performance measurement and effective utility management but has put it into practice in the organization's strategic planning process. Using the QualServe program as a means of benchmarking performance, CWW has aligned its strategic plan with the Ten Attributes and integrated measures, which support continuous improvement and have led to more effective utility management.