Page 77 - Urban water supply handbook

STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL WATER SYSTEMS

2.10 HISTORY, PLANNING, OUTSOURCING

TABLE 2.2 Overview of Water System Capacity (Continued)
Elements of capacity Key indicators
Managerial
External ● Does the system interact well with customers, regulators, and
other entities?
● Is the system aware of available external resources, such as
technical and financial assistance?

ning step. Planners should consider whether the system is capable of managing
change and responding effectively to external challenges and opportunities.

2.3.5 Step 5: Identify Strategic Options

Water systems that have a clear understanding of their service roles, as well as
their external environment and internal capacity, are well positioned to identify
strategic options that will best fulfill their mission and goals. Strategic options
may be tactical (which can be implemented within the water system’s existing
organizational framework) or structural (which require fundamental changes in
the organization of the water system or its service roles).
The basic planning model can be used to identify strategic options for a num-
ber of planning issues, including but not limited to compliance with drinking
water standards. The SDWA identifies a number of alternative paths to compliance
for small water systems. These include conventional and centralized water treat-
ment options, decentralized treatment (point of use and point of entry), water sup-
ply alternatives (ground and surface sources), interconnection with another system
(for water purchasing), and restructuring (changes ownership or operations).
Planning can—and should—expand beyond SDWA compliance. An array of
strategic options can be identified for other planning issues. These might include
aesthetic and quality issues, customer service issues, supply shortages or unrelia-
bility, infrastructure challenges, and conservation and efficiency. For any water
system, planners should identify strategic options based on particular issues that
apply to the water system for its planning horizon.
When identifying options, some general guidelines are helpful. First, planners
should think comprehensively and consider the widest possible range of alterna-
tives. Second, planners should consider options across a broad spatial horizon.
This requires looking to the regional context, including the needs and circum-
stances of nearby water systems. Third, planners should consider potential options
over a long temporal horizon. Some options that may not seem feasible in the near
term may be decidedly more feasible in the longer term. A long-term time frame
is essential for identifying the best long-term solutions. By expanding the spatial

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