Page 72 - Urban water supply handbook

STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL WATER SYSTEMS

SMALL WATER SYSTEMS PLANNING 2.5

clusions reached in earlier steps. The planning process includes continuous feed-
back loops from later steps and planning outcomes back to the earlier steps.

2.3.1 Step 1: Specify Mission and Goals
A positive first step in the planning process is to contemplate the water system’s
mission and goals. Like all organizations, water systems should be guided by a
2
mission statement. Writing a mission statement is a meaningful exercise because
it should play a significant role in shaping the organization and what it does.
Establishing goals, objectives, and priorities for a specified planning horizon is
a critical early planning step. Water systems generally have multiple goals. These
might include compliance with applicable standards, maintenance of a reliable
water source, efficient management and operations, affordable rates for water cus-
tomers, and excellent customer service. Ideally, the water system’s goals will be
operationalized or defined in measurable terms so that managers can gauge
progress. An example is a goal related to customer satisfaction that can be mea-
sured through a survey. Generally, the planning horizon should be a minimum of
10 years.
The goals and objectives of a water system will be shaped not only by its over-
arching mission but also by its core values. These values often are community-
specific and can be discovered and refined through participatory planning
processes. Involving the public in the planning process has a number of potential
benefits for water systems. In a direct sense, public involvement can help the water
system increase the public’s awareness of water issues, expand the range of viable
planning options, and build support. Public involvement may also help reduce the
public’s reluctance to pay for water service and improve demand-side behavior.

2.3.2 Step 2: Assess Structure and Roles
In this step, the planner assesses the water system’s organizational structure and
service roles, as presently constituted and anticipated for the planning horizon.
The water system must be structured in a manner that will facilitate the fulfillment
of its mission and goals.
The water system’s basic organizational structure can be represented by a
three-part hierarchy from governance, to management, to operations (Fig. 2.1).
Governance is at the top of the hierarchy because it refers to the ultimate account-
ability for the water system, which may rest with a board of directors.
Management focuses on responsibility and provides the link between governance
and actual operations; strategic planning is a management function. Operation
focuses on performance and involves the direct performance of functional tasks.
For water systems, one or more entities must provide governance and assume ulti-
mate responsibility for the provision of service. The same entity or entities may or

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com)
Copyright © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.