Award Winners
Chesterfield Utilities
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Chesterfield Utilities today continues the Total Quality Initiative (TQI) it initiated in 1992. The TQI includes strategic planning, team problem solving, process management, performance based measurement, staff development, and rewards and recognition, all of which have positioned Chesterfield to easily implement competitiveness strategies as they have evolved in recent years. Chesterfield Utilities' efforts have allowed user charges to remain relatively low while at the same time achieving higher levels of customer satisfaction. The utility also established a Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund to assure funding for infrastructure replacement in the future. The rate-setting model incorporates operating and capital improvement budgets, rate stabilization reserve funding for the next 10 years and bond covenant requirements. This approach avoids significant rate increases in a particular budget year. In 2002, Chesterfield Utilities' enhanced financial position was recognized when its bond rating was raised from AA to AAA by the three primary rating agencies, one of only two joint water/wastewater utilities in the nation to achieve this status. Fitch Ratings commented, "The county's utilities department credit strengths include a positive operating performance record, substantial reserves, rapid debt repayment, sound management practices and healthy debt service coverage levels."
City of Fort Worth Water Department
2004 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
In recent years, the City of Fort Worth Water Department has undertaken several benchmarking assessments that have translated into goals and changes for the department. One was the Water Treatment Plant Optimization Study, which resulted in better efficiency and cost savings, and a second was QualServe, a program that provides tools to help utilities improve service. This year, the department placed fifth nationally in the AWWA Top Ops Competition. As part of a city-wide initiative, the Water Production Division developed a competitiveness strategy and business plan that identifies strategic goals and objectives. Employee groups meet regularly to address issues and determine solutions, and the PAY$ program provides financial rewards to employees for suggestions leading to improved processes and customer service and/or a reduction in operational costs. For example, a committee of employees suggested a cross training program for operators and mechanics, which will phase out these two positions and create a single position capable of handling both responsibilities. To obtain customer feedback, the city conducts an annual survey, and the results regularly indicate that most residents are pleased with the level of service they receive.
City of Portland Bureau of Water Works
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The City of Portland Bureau of Water Works created and sustained a strong organizational culture of performance measurement built on a process called City-wide Service Efforts and Accomplishments. Portland's successes are augmented by active involvement in benchmarking and ongoing work to develop and apply a balanced scorecard for the organization. Portland consistently evaluated and redesigned work practices to improve productivity and effectiveness and made substantial progress in dealing with critical but historically difficult projects. Portland achieved a 24.8 percent reduction in its operating and maintenance budget over the last five years, using the savings to offset financial impacts of increased capital spending and to support rate relief to its customers. At the same time, the utility demonstrated a strong commitment to customer needs and carefully tracked performance and adjusted resources to ensure that performance targets were met. Portland maintains an Aa1 bond rating, demonstrating a strong organizational commitment to dealing with many challenges without undermining the utility's historically strong financial position. Finally, Portland prepared the organization for the future by investing in workforce training and development for key field positions and accomplished multiple objectives through this important program.
City of San Diego Water Department
2004 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
The City of San Diego Water Department launched a Bid-to-Goal effort in 2002, and the City Council approved its implementation in 2004. Bid-to-Goal departs from conventional thinking to focus on the development of a public employee labor/management collaboration aimed at achieving the best possible service delivery at competitive costs. The two-year development process was dependent upon labor/management cooperation. The city's two unions, AFSCME Local 127, representing frontline workers, and the San Diego Municipal Employees Association, representing supervisors and professionals, were involved from the beginning of the process. At least 20 percent of the Water Operation's workforce had direct input into the process. The Steering Committee that guided the entire process included employees from all functional areas of Water Operations as well as union and management representatives. The San Diego Water Department is the first water utility in the country to combine ISO 14001 certification for environmental management practices with a Bid-to-Goal program, and a symbiotic relationship has been found between the two programs. Where Bid-to-Goal has cost goals and IS0 14001 has environmental goals, they both involve employee empowerment, improved teamwork and improved public image. The five-year Employee Bid, which began in 2004, will result in $1.2 million of savings compared to five-year budget projections.
Columbus Water Works
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Columbus Water Works (CWW) focuses on continuous improvement by thinking competitively in all aspects of its operation. CWW measures itself against industry leaders and continually strives for improvement. CWW's competitive drive influences its strategic planning processes and financial planning processes by placing emphasis on compatibility and synergy of central business elements. All planning projects (i.e., Capital Improvement Plan, Financial Management Plan, Asset Management Plan and Strategic and Master Plan) are tested against CWW in order to be competitive and to excel in business, all to the benefit of the customer. CWW formed five strategic planning goal teams to pursue further development of its vision and major goals. Each goal team identified key strategies for advancing each goal. This effort was the continuation of a formal process intended to improve CWW's performance throughout every component of its business, thereby becoming more competitive. CWW has invested considerable effort to promote a cultural change, which values innovation, self-direction and empowerment of employees. It has encouraged a team-oriented work process, which stresses cooperation and communication. The organization also encourages open discussion and examination of all work processes, and the positive work environment encourages a participative work effort.
Contra Costa Water District
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Contra Costa Water District's (CCWD) goal is to assure that the public not only receives a reliable supply of high-quality water, but that the process of delivering the water is both efficient and customer-focused. CCWD is one of the largest urban water districts in California and is a leader in water treatment technology and source water protection. CCWD has completed over $600 million in major projects since 1999. A 100,000 acre-foot reservoir in Los Vaqueros was built to deliver better quality water and provide an emergency water supply. A 21-mile long treated water pipeline and a pump station were constructed to provide a new distribution system and a backup to the existing canal. And, the Contra Costa Swim Lagoon was created to improve public health by separating a recreational swimming area from a large raw water reservoir. While implementing new projects, CCWD has succeeded at holding water rate increases at half of inflation. Current data shows that over 83 percent of customers give CCWD excellent marks.
El Paso Water Utilities
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
El Paso Water Utilities has proactively embraced change as it moves into the 21st century. Serving a growing population in a desert community and sharing water resources with two other states and one other country dictates an assertive water management strategy. El Paso developed and continues to update its strategic plan, a 50-year water master plan and a strategic information systems plan. Guided by these plans and with input from key constituents, stakeholders, consultants and the community, El Paso aggressively implemented strategic goals and objectives. By implementing new technologies – such as Geographical Information Systems project management tools and the Enterprise Financial and Human Resources Systems cross training employees and reengineering processes – the utility lessened and even deferred operating and capital costs. El Paso adopted benchmarking and best management practices as a result of a major initiative to instill the concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Process Improvements (CPI). It effectively mitigated dire predictions of unsustainable groundwater pumping by implementing an aggressive conservation rate structure, proactive conservation education and rebate programs; adding water management strategies (including utilization of reclaimed water); and building the world's largest inland desalination plant.
Las Vegas Valley Water District
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The Las Vegas community has grown rapidly, flourishing from a population less than 800,000 in 1990 to over 1.7 million today. For providers of municipal services, the challenges posed by unprecedented growth are compounded by the worst drought in recorded history. Through advanced planning, proactive leadership on emerging issues and collaboration with regional partners, the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) met these challenges with tremendous success. To meet the demands of an expanding community, the LVVWD is committed to a comprehensive program of continuous improvement, measured conservation and community activism. The program encourages employee and community involvement in making the LVVWD more responsive, effective and efficient. This includes using open and inclusive decision-making processes that involve the local community, regional partners and employees. The LVVWD leverages technology, teamwork and continuous skill development to build and maintain efficient and effective facilities and operations. In addition to its local purveyor responsibilities, the LVVWD manages the Southern Nevada Water Authority and operates the Southern Nevada Water System. By responding effectively to the challenges of growth and drought, the LVVWD has remained exceedingly competitive, while maintaining its corporate values of respect for people, integrity, service and excellence.
Onondaga County Water Authority
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) set out on the competitiveness journey in 1990. At that time OCWA employed 132 people, provided service to 56,271 accounts and its "good year" standard for capital improvement projects was around the $3.5 million mark. Today the Authority employs 117 people providing service to 83,063 accounts located in 28 towns and 15 villages in a four-county region in Central New York. Through reengineering, reinvention and investment in automation, OCWA now serves nearly 48 percent more customers with 11 percent fewer employees and the "good year" standard for capital improvement projects is in the range of $7.5 million dollars per year. In fact, over the past 11 years OCWA saw total plant and water rights grow by more than $82.5 million. While internal growth averaged one percent per year over the last decade, the bulk of OCWA's expansion was the acquisition of 11 water systems ranging in size from 400 connections to nearly 7,000 connections. The Authority was able to accomplish this remarkable growth through a combination of excellent customer service coupled with reasonable water rates that compare favorably across the nation.
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCPDU) maintains a high level of service to its customers and employees. The department emphasizes quality and retains a competitive position by providing excellent service at a reasonable price, and its success is reflected in high ratings from customers. The department's main achievements fall within four categories: customer focus, financial health, efficiency and effectiveness, and workforce quality. SLCPDU is continuously able to focus on these areas by tracking expressed goals monthly. Customer focus led to improved convenience for the customer through additional on-line services. Outreach to advisory groups during critical path policy development not only helped with approval but also acceptance. Not forgetting internal customers, union cooperatives, rewards and recognitions and an outstanding safety program make the SLCPDU a great place to work, and work force quality is fostered by a comprehensive internal training program. Financial health is critical to sustained success, and the SLCPDU's AA stand-alone bond rating is a notable achievement that reflects the utility's commitment to effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, its aggressive focus on source protection, water treatment optimization and distribution maintenance ensures quality drinking water at the customer's tap.
Seattle Public Utilities
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Seattle Public Utilities sustained a range of competitiveness accomplishments. Currently, Seattle is applying the Triple Bottom Line concept in its economic analyses of capital projects and programs. This concept recognizes that actions, projects and programs have social and environmental outcomes as well as financial. These implications are quantified and weighed in decision-making processes. As Seattle evaluates proposed new projects and programs, the utility is looking at the costs and benefits over the lifetime of the project or program, not just the initial development and construction costs. This approach has already saved millions of dollars. Seattle has documented various customer and environmental service levels and established key performance indicators. It is working toward improving service levels in a variety of areas, including a recent initiative allowing customers to use Internet technology and interactive voice response technology to conduct business during and outside of normal business hours. Along with customer service improvements, Seattle also made significant improvements in crew productivity by establishing performance goals, developing monthly performance reports, consistent use of bi-weekly work programs, and developing and implementing best practices. As a result of these initiatives, 2003 water and wastewater operations and maintenance expenditures fell by eight percent.
Spartanburg Water System
2004 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The Spartanburg Water System (SWS) / Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District (SSSD) recognizes that competitiveness with both public and private purveyors of water and wastewater services is essential to thriving in today's marketplace. To assure quality of life and continued economic growth in the community, SWS/SSSD vigorously pursued a path of benchmarking and continuous improvement under the umbrella of its Pursuing Excellence program. Through utilization of peer review via QualServe, independent third party competitiveness assessment, direct benchmarking against other utilities, customer and employee surveys and adoption of the WERF Balanced Scorecard Model, SWS/SSSD emerged as a strategy-focused organization. The benefits of this effort are many, including: a strategic planning process that balances customer needs; innovation, learning, and internal business processes with financial considerations; a more knowledgeable, diversely skilled and motivated work force; streamlined organizational and management structure; increased service area and revenue base; improved customer service and satisfaction as indicated by surveys; enhanced water quality and security; expanded water supply to meet one hundred year projections; reduced environmental compliance exposure; enhanced debt service coverage and reserve funding; and, improved bond ratings.