Water Asset Management International 1.1 (2005) 15-21

Capital maintenance: a good practice guide

Andrew Smith

Yorkshire Water
UK

This paper discusses the principles of a Leading Edge Asset Decisions Assessment (LEADA) initiative driven by Yorkshire Water. The process was developed in accordance with guidelines set down by industry regulators, with the aim of implementing a consistent methodology for making investment and maintenance decisions that would yield the highest benefits to the Water Service Provider and, therefore, its customers. Put simply, the process involved two main stages necessary to any efficient management practice: 1) identifying and collating the relevant data, and 2) using this data to make consistent, informed and effective decisions. A key part of the process was developing a system of risk assessment that allowed the WSP to describe the risks to an asset, and the cost associated with these risks, as a numerical figure. This process is outlined here and, like the rest of the initiative, is offered as an example of leading edge practice in water industry asset management.

Full article (PDF Format)