When Ross commended the EFC Network for the asset management training they are doing for years now, Heather presented their resources. Heather: And one of the things that we offer is a free Access Database and a free Excel spreadsheet. There’s nothing magic, whatsoever about them. But it’s a place that people can start. And I’ll often say start with that. Get your feet wet. See what … [Read more...]
Basic Principles in Acquiring and Using an Asset Management Software
This post is the continuation of Ross Waugh’s discussion on “two important steps to consider in buying and using an asset management software,” and Heather’s rejoinder on what asset management is. Ross: In New Zealand, we have known from bitter experience in millions and millions of dollars wasted money because we’ve all done it several times. You go, “Oh, this is a nice shiny piece of … [Read more...]
Best Asset Management Practices about Using Software
Heather and Ross continue to talk about best practices in the industry and the purchase and use of asset management software. Heather: Often, communities get caught up in the 50,000 things that this tool can do. And you don’t really need to do them all if you’re a small to a medium-size utility. Some of that stuff, you don’t even have the data to make it work. So, you have to think about, … [Read more...]
Important Keys to Successful Asset Management Practice – Keep it Simple and Start Small
In the previous post, Heather discussed how asset management should not be an additional workload and advised against hiring more people to do it. Ross explains how getting and relying on the CMMS or any software could result in more complexity in doing asset management. Ross reveals: I think the thing, I’ve done a lot of work with CMMS over the last 20 years, and in fact the … [Read more...]
Why Doing Asset Management is Not Additional Workload
A webinar participant asked, how can our system encourage utility staff to implement and maintain business workflow profit associated with asset management an acronym CMMS, especially in those years when systems still exist where the workforce was insufficient for day to day tasks, much less additional asset management duties. Heather: So, one thing I always like to dispel a myth that we … [Read more...]
Asset Management Planning Strategy – Demand Analysis and Sustainability
In answer to the question of an attendee regarding declining per capita demand patterns and its integration with the asset management plan, Ross Waugh and Heather Himmelberger continue to discuss demand analysis and sustainability. Ross: But that whole declining consumption as well, when you’ve got fixed cost in the front end of the system, you’ve got, fix sunk cost in terms of the … [Read more...]
Integrating Changing Per Capita Demand Patterns in the Asset Management Plan
A webinar attendee asks for any recommendations regarding integrating changing, mostly declining, per capita demand patterns. Heather: And that is actually dynamic, the declining demand patterns on a per capita basis is something we see almost nationwide. I won’t say absolutely every community because nothing is ever absolute. But we certainly see a decline in per capita usage across the … [Read more...]
Asset Management – The Importance of Getting the Big Picture Look
In the previous post, Ross mentioned about getting that bigger picture planning going that would help in forming the shorter-term plans. Heather explains further: And that ties right back into our managing assets into asset management conversation because we’re just so focused on managing that treatment plant, we may make a huge investment in replacing something or dealing with those … [Read more...]
Asset Management Decision – Building New Assets or Operating and Maintaining Them?
Heather stressed the importance of understanding the terminology in the asset management industry so that everybody will be on the same page when terms like "asset management," "managing assets," "O & M as an investment" are mentioned. Ross then discussed the planning cycle, citing their experience in New Zealand. Ross explains: Yes, and just sort of coming back to this thought about … [Read more...]
More Discussions on Infrastructure Maintenance vs. Asset Replacement
Heather Himmelberger and Ross Waugh began discussing the terminology and understanding of the phrases, "operation and maintenance" and "rehabilitation and replacement" in the previous post. Ross continues: And if you are a municipality or a water supply operator and you’re going, okay we are trying to get this long-term bang for the buck over that hundred years, you want to make sure you got … [Read more...]
Infrastructure Maintenance vs. Asset Replacement – Cost or Investment?
Heather: So, another topic that came up at the conference I was at in Australia, and it’s something that I’ve been thinking a lot about because it gets into this terminology and how important terminology can be. So, there’s a lot of talks right now about the need for more infrastructure replacements, and there are quotes anywhere from, you know multiple hundreds of billions to trillions of … [Read more...]
Creating an Asset Management Strategy to Cope with Federal Regulations and Standards
In the previous post "Coping with Regulations and Standards through Asset Management Planning," Heather and Ross discussed the possible options asset managers can consider so they can work on their asset management practice while complying with federal regulations and standards. In this post, Heather and Ross discuss further. Heather says: And another aspect of the strategic direction or … [Read more...]