Page 79 - Urban water supply handbook

STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL WATER SYSTEMS

2.12 HISTORY, PLANNING, OUTSOURCING

● Consistency with the water system’s overarching mission and goals
● Compliance with drinking water and other standards and regulations
● Impact of capacity development (technical, financial, and managerial)
● Economic feasibility in terms of the total cost of implementation
● Operational efficiency in terms of the unit cost or production
● Structural efficiency in terms of total long-run societal cost
● Quality of service for customers of the water system
● Reliability of service for customers of the water system
● Practicality of implementation for water system managers
● Political acceptance in the local community by all stakeholders
● Regulatory acceptance by drinking water and other agencies
● Customer acceptance throughout the water system’s service territory
Optimization involves choosing the strategy (the option or combination of
options) that best meets the evaluation criteria established for the system. Strategic
options can be evaluated using a number of analytical tools. Qualitative assess-
ment involves a simple scoring or ranking of options according to the specified
planning criteria. Extra weight can be assigned to criteria as deemed appropriate
by decision makers and in accordance with prevailing values.
Other assessment tools are more quantitative, including the many variations of
benefit-cost analysis. Avoided-cost analysis is a metric for evaluating the cost-
effectiveness of planning alternatives for achieving a specified benefit (such as
compliance with standards or the provision of a desired level of service). The
analysis compares the cost of alternatives to a benchmark that reflects the cost
associated with achieving the desired benefit through typical or conventional
means. The difference between the conventional option and a better option is the
cost avoided by implementing the better option. Avoided-cost analysis is used
widely to measure the potential benefits of water conservation.

2.3.7 Step 7: Implement and Monitor
Once the best option or options are identified, planners need to identify the steps
necessary for implementation. An action plan can help guide implementation by
specifying key dates and actions that must be taken.
Water systems may face both internal and external implementation issues.
First, for some organizations, implementation can be thwarted by inertia, or a gen-
eralized resistance to change associated with uncertainty or other issues. Second,
the water system must have adequate technical, financial, and managerial
resources for implementation. Third, the leadership of the organization must be

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