1. Take-Aways FROM CONSENSUS LLC
DECISION-MAKING FOR THE FUTURE
Innovation
Arresting statement by Biju George, deputy
director of the Metropolitan Sewer District,
Cincinnati (but moving to DC Water to be
Chief Operating Officer) that they manage
innovation as a business process.
Imagine a business process that generates
new ideas, vets them, makes the business
case, and assigns responsibility for
development and implementation? Sounds
like a powerful way to engage staff.
Innovation underscored the panel
discussion on the Role of Technology in
Utilities, moderated by Thomas DeLaura.
Panelists provided an object lesson: how to
best use technology to achieve business
goals. As the panelists pointed out,
technology works if: the users generate the
momentum; there is a clearly defined
business case; it enables basic business
processes; and, it is supported by a change
management initiative.
In sum: efficient use of technology requires
a wider use of business process analysis so
that technology supports the solution
instead of becoming another (expensive)
problem.
Collaboration
There were great examples of collaboration,
knocking down the silos to work with other
City departments, other utilities and
community agencies. Two that stood out:
Alexandria Renew, VA, partnering with high
schools, community colleges, and the
Urban Alliance to identify community youth
who may be at risk in order to provide
internships and apprenticeships. It is
proving to be a benefit to the students as
well as the senior operators who can be
mentors (and get help with the newest
technology), and certainly is helping with
March 2015
A scan of what’s interesting
in the water utility sector:
ideas, people, events,
abiding issues and new
solutions, and other things
that pique our interest at
Consensus LLC.
Let us know what you think:
skralston@consenusllc.net
The UMC/Austin, TX
The Utility Management Conference, sponsored by
AWWA/WEF, is THE conference for those of us
interested in utility management trends and the thought
-provoking ideas that our colleagues have. It’s not
possible to attend ALL the sessions, but of the
presentations and conversations that I was fortunate to
hear, several resonated with the themes of innovation,
collaboration, and leadership, themes I’ve been thinking
about the past year in conjunction with The Utility of the
Future.* Here are my take-aways.
*A publication of WEF, NACWA, and WERF.
Leadership
Successful utilities are marked by
effective governance. Educating
board members and keeping them
current is an important function of
utility leadership. At least two utili-
ties—Spartanburg Water, SC and
Mount Pleasant Water, SC—
brought a number of board mem-
bers, to the conference, putting
local issues into a national context
and demonstrating possible solu-
tions. Managers and board mem-
bers learning to speak the same
language is a necessary step to-
ward shared understanding, sup-
port of leadership, and solutions.
Workforce Development for Alex
Renew.
Clean Water Services (OR) holistic
approach to watershed environmen-
tal health is based on a number of
partnerships in the Tualatin and
Willamette watersheds: with the
communities that are part of the
service area as well as businesses,
federal and state agencies, and the
farmers and ranchers. Bruce Roll
demonstrated that the integrated
watershed approach provides not
only ecological benefits, but creates
a learning environment for area
schools, and economic benefits for
the businesses involved. Partner-
ing with Agriculture Department
conservation programs has provid-
ed funding for the riparian buffer
areas and wetlands restoration.
—Sandra K. Ralston, Principal
Consensus LLC