How would you suggest asset management be initiated in a situation where there is a basic lack of financial resources or skilled people?
Heather:
That’s a very good question. Kind of question of where do you start when you kind of feel, over overwhelmed, this is what it sounds like.
Feeling that there’s not really the right folks or you feel a little overwhelmed that you don’t have the right information.
And the first thing is I would say you probably know a lot more about your system than you realize.
And you probably have a lot more expertise than you realize.
And you can start asset management very simple. And you might want to start just simply at a very high level thinking about what you own.
Can I just list out what are the things in my system that I have and where are they located on a very simple map? You can start really really simply with that, just at a pretty high level.
Instead of breaking a pump into all its components, just I have 5 pumps, and they are on Main street, Elm Street, East Side Street or something.
And I have three tanks, and I have two wells, and we’re keeping at a very basic level and then get a very simple map of where your pipes are.
Its best your operators know. Because usually if you have anybody operating your system, they do have a pretty good idea of where the pipes are.
And you can develop a map out of something as simple as you know, going online and spitting out a Quest map of your area and drawing on it. You can print out Google Earth.
You can even have them just draw the whole thing by hand if they wanted to kind of just getting you started.
So the very very rudimentary asset management starting points:
- Just getting that list of what you have and where they are at.
- And starting to think about, what’s the collection of stuff that you have?
- And then you kind of move into what is it that I wanted to do?
- What are the things I’m trying to provide my customers?
So a couple of simple level of service goals – like trying to meet all the regulations, what customer service you want to provide, what pressure you’re trying to operate.
Thinking about what it is you want your utility to do. It’s kind of a good way to get started on all of this.
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