This document summarizes a presentation given to the WEF Residuals and Biosolids conference about the Resource Recovery Roundtable innovation process used by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The Roundtable identifies innovative ideas, assesses them using subject matter experts, and implements successful ideas with project teams. Over the first year, 44 topic cards with new ideas were submitted. The process was refined based on lessons learned. Going forward, the Roundtable will transition to an active governing board and continue iterating and improving the innovation process.

1. Presented by:
Manon Fisher (SFPUC),
Natalie Sierra (Brown and Caldwell)
Presented to:
WEF Residuals and Biosolids
Merging Innovation and Resource
Recovery into Daily Operations
April 11, 2017

2. Resource Recovery Roundtable 2
Acknowledgements
Coauthors
Karri Ving (SFPUC)
Ben Jordan (Biofuel
Recycling)
SFPUC Wastewater
Enterprise Staff
Tommy T. Moala
Lewis Harrison
Brian Henderson
R2 Roundtable
Alex Miot
Joe Wong
Andy Clark
Sarah Minick
Laura Pagano
Joel Prather

3. Resource Recovery Roundtable 3
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Mission
Toprovide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and sewer
services in a manner that is inclusiveofenvironmentalandcommunity interestsand
sustainstheresourcesentrusted toour care”
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Oceanside Treatment PlantSolar Panels at Sunset Reservoir
SewerWater Power

4. Resource Recovery Roundtable 44
Roundtable Structure
Collection System
Division
Wastewater Engineering
Operations Maintenance
Administration Strategic Programs
Power
Finance
Community Benefits
Water
Wastewater Enterprise

5. Resource Recovery Roundtable 55
Roundtable Goals

6. Resource Recovery Roundtable 6
Resource Recovery Framework
Subject
Matter
Experts
Innovation
Platform
Integration
External
Collaboration

7. Resource Recovery Roundtable 77
Innovation Platform
Identify
Synthesize Document
“a good idea can
come from anywhere”
INNOVATION

8. Resource Recovery Roundtable 88
Topic Card

9. Resource Recovery Roundtable 99
Prioritization Memo

10. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1010
Topic Assessment

11. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1111
Innovation Process

12. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1212
1 - Collect and Document New Ideas
Complete Topic
Card
Upload to
SharePoint Library
Begin
information
synthesis
Solicit
feedback from
R2 Team
Conferences
Regional
groups
Vendors
Store in
centralized
location for all
staff to see
Seek Out Ideas

13. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1313
2 - Perform Multi-disciplinary Review
Coordinate Subject Matter
Team meeting
Develop Prioritization
Memo
Share staff
recommendations
with Roundtable and
Management
Select Project Team

14. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1414
3 - Build a Team for Project Success
Team is
assembled by
Roundtable
and WWE
Management
Team reports back
to Roundtable on
recommended
course of action
Team performs
topic assessment
to determine next
steps
  

15. Resource Recovery Roundtable 15
• Gain Roundtable and management approval for
selected approach
• Provide regular updates to R2 Roundtable
15
4 – Implement the Idea

16. Resource Recovery Roundtable 16
• Who does all of this work?
16
Roles and Responsibilities

17. Resource Recovery Roundtable 1717
Subject Matter Teams (Decision Makers)
Water Biogas Biosolids Nutrients
Operations Andy Clark Andy Clark Johnny Johnson Andy Clark
Maintenance Joel Prather Joel Prather Joel Prather Joel Prather
Engineering Joe Wong
Meei-Lih Ahmad
Nohemy Revilla
Ravi Krishnaiah
Alex Miot
Domenec Jolis
Planning and
Regulatory
Laura Pagano
Sarah Minick
Meei-Lih Ahmad Adrian Santiago* Amy Chastain
Collection
System
Kent Eickman
Manon Fisher
N/A
Karri Ving
Manon Fisher
N/A

18. Resource Recovery Roundtable 18
Project Engineer
• Performs engineering analysis
• Determines how given project fits in WWE’s
operations
Project Coordinator
• Assists in project development
• Conducts research and outreach to relevant
stakeholders
Project Sponsor
• Clears hurdles to advance and guide project
• Senior level WWE staff experienced in
budgeting, working with range of staff and
management
18
Project Team (Implementers)

19. Resource Recovery Roundtable 19
Project Engineer (Karla Guevarra)
• Performs engineering analysis
• Determines how given project fits in WWE’s
operations
Project Coordinator (Adrian Santiago)
• Assists in project development
• Conducts research and outreach to relevant
stakeholders
Project Sponsor (Bonnie Jones)
• Clears hurdles to advance and guide project
• Senior level WWE staff experienced in
budgeting, working with range of staff and
management
19
Successful Projects are Team Driven

20. Resource Recovery Roundtable 2020
Lystek Case Study Through Process

21. Resource Recovery Roundtable 21
• 12 meetings
• Biosolids emerged as
an area of emphasis
• Buildout of topic library
• Broad participation
across Enterprise
21
Year One Results
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
44 Topic Cards Submitted

22. Resource Recovery Roundtable 22
• Streamlined the innovation
process
• Modified tools for simplicity
• Identified critical milestones to
document
• Leveraged the natural process
that was taking place and
helped further formalize it
22
What Did we Change?

23. Resource Recovery Roundtable 23
• Subject Matter Teams played a larger role than
originally anticipated
23
What Did we Keep?
Water Biogas Biosolids Nutrients
Operations Andy Clark Andy Clark Johnny Johnson Andy Clark
Maintenance Joel Prather Joel Prather Joel Prather Joel Prather
Engineering Joe Wong
Meei-Lih Ahmad
Nohemy Revilla
Ravi Krishnaiah
Alex Miot
Domenec Jolis
Planning and
Regulatory
Laura Pagano
Sarah Minick
Meei-Lih Ahmad Adrian Santiago* Amy Chastain
Collection
System
Kent Eickman
Manon Fisher
N/A
Karri Ving
Manon Fisher
N/A

24. Resource Recovery Roundtable 24
• Project Teams make or
break a projects success
• Roles do not need to be
unique, but need at
least two of three
24
What Did we Keep?
Project Engineer
• Performs engineering analysis
• Determines how given project fits in
WWE’s operations
Project Coordinator
• Assists in project development
• Conducts research and outreach to
relevant stakeholders
Project Sponsor
• Clears hurdles to advance and guide
project
• Senior level WWE staff experienced in
budgeting, working with range of staff
and management

25. Resource Recovery Roundtable 25
• Transition Roundtable to an active governing board
25
What Comes Next?
Ongoing
Quarterly
Annually November Topic
Card Review
Subject Matter
Team
Assessments
Staff Bring Ideas
Forward via
Topic Cards
WEFTEC Topic
Cards
Division
Managers Bring
Ideas Forward
via Topic Cards

26. Resource Recovery Roundtable 26
• Tools need to be easy to use, and will require fine-
tuning through repeated use
• Avoid recreating the wheel, instead find systems that
work well and insert innovation into them
• Build transparency and supporting documentation into
existing processes
• Don’t be afraid to iterate… this is not a linear process
26
Lessons Learned

27. Resource Recovery Roundtable 2727
Thank you.
Questions?
Manon Fisher // mfisher@sfwater.org
Natalie Sierra // nsierra@BrwnCald.com