Books & Case StudiesPublic Information Needs During Water Emergencies
MWRA Emergency Response Case Study Multi-agency Response to a Major Water Pipe Break: A Massachusetts Case Study and Evaluation is an important new resource for the nation’s water utility managers – an in-depth look at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) response to a major pipe break in May 2010 involving more than two million people and thousands of large industrial users in 30 metropolitan Boston communities. The comprehensive review, co-sponsored by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, WaterISAC and the Water Research Foundation, and funded through a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, presents a solid example of the drinking water emergency response process and analyzes the challenges, successes and lessons related to the process.The report, produced by Stratus Consulting, incorporates assessment and analysis of the actions of MWRA and other state and local responders involved in the incident. It identifies areas where the responders acted successfully as well as areas where they encountered challenges, and provides valuable recommendations based on lessons learned.
Protecting the Water Sector from Security Threats: The Emerging Legal and Policy Frameworks
This publication from AMWA, NACWA, WEF and APWA looks at the nature of terrorist threats to water sector infrastructure, the federal legislative framework for protecting infrastructure, vulnerability assessments, utilities’ duties to protect the public and employees, potential liability for consequences of terrorist acts, obtaining sensitive employee information, managing sensitive information, contract issues and insurance.
Members may access an electronic version of the document here (login required).
Implementing Asset Management: A Practical Guide
Faced with the challenges of aging infrastructure, the lack of funding, and the desire to maintain affordable rates, while meeting the customer's needs, utility managers are looking for more effective ways to make decisions about capital improvement and infrastructure maintenance. Implementing Asset Management: A Practical Guide provides utility professionals a step-by-step guide to continued improvement in the management of their infrastructure assets. Depending on the availability of resources, utilities can address their infrastructure assets at a broad, system-wide level by grouping assets or drill-down to individual assets components and elements. Published by AMWA, NACWA, and WEF. Order Online
AMWA Member Price $95 - Use Member Discount Code (click here)
Building The Water Utility Brand — Practical Advice for Increasing Trust, Support, and Investment
This AMWA management manual, written by marketing and branding expert John Ruetten, makes a strong case for utilities to adopt the proven marketing strategy of branding to establish the value of water and successfully compete for customers' investment dollars. Exploring the politics of investment in water, negative branding of water utilities, and opportunities provided by a strong positive brand, Ruetten goes through the steps of defining and implementing the utility brand. The manual clears up myths about the branding process and shows why branding does not require large expenditures. Order Form (PDF)
Member Price $25 Non-member Price $35
The Changing Workforce…Seizing the Opportunity
This publication builds on the strategies first presented in The Changing Workforce…Crisis & Opportunity and goes a step further to equip water and wastewater utilities with the tools necessary to effectively develop and implement a systematic succession management program to drive effective workforce sustainability. Produced and published by AMWA and the NACWA, this practical handbook presents succession management as the critical piece that holds together workforce recruitment, development and retention. In addition to outlining a succession planning master process, the handbook includes case studies and specific tools to tailor the master process to your utility in order to establish a successful program. Order Form (PDF)
Member Price $50 Non-member Price $75 Purchase both Changing Workforce publications as a package: Member Price $75 Non-member Price $100 Order Form (PDF)
The Changing Workforce - Crisis & Opportunity -- Order Now!
A collaborative effort between AMWA and the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA), this publication examines the increasing demand for qualified, skilled employees increasing while the supply for these resources is decreasing. What began initially as a gradual change has accelerated in recent years. What is the change and what is causing the change? What happens when a keystone worker, or a slew of workers, leaves? The workforce is gradually reaching retirement age and utilities are offering incentives to their staff to take early retirement. As the workforce retires and leaves the public sector, the staff take along a remarkable wealth of operational and maintenance knowledge and information. How can your utility compete? $35 per copy. Order Form (PDF)
Evaluating Privatization II -- An AMSA/AMWA Checklist
Evaluating Privatization II updates and expands the content of Evaluating Privatization published by AMSA in 1996. In addition to providing information on developments occurring since 1996, this new publication incorporates the issues and implication for public drinking water utilities along with those of public wastewater utilities featured in the initial publication. (56 Pages) $30 per copy.
Order Form (PDF)
Public vs. Private: Comparing the Costs -- An AMWA/AMSA Report
Public vs. Private: Comparing the Costs provides an in-depth examination of specific processes and results of managed competitions between public providers and private firms and complements the content of the AMSA/AMWA publication, Evaluating Privatization II. This publication is must for public water and wastewater decision makers as they evaluate the merits of public utility management and operation alternatives and, ultimately select the best course of action. (36 Pages) $25 per copy. Order Form
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In May 2012, EPA's National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) released Need to Know: Anticipating the Public's Questions during a Water Emergency. 
