Asset Management(1): Building Your Water System's Capacity

"Protecting public health by managing all assets and components of your water system."

Capacity/Asset Management Development

Capacity has three components: Technical, Managerial, and Financial.

Asset Management is based on a five-core framework that guides a water system into capacity, focusing on the technical, managerial, and financial components of your system.

A Public Water System (PWS) can introduce asset management at any of the five cores. Each PWS has different challenges and opportunities. By introducing a system at a particular core, Asset Management gives the remaining cores the opportunity to strengthen and improve the PWS's capacity.

Asset Management Tool Box

Choose the Tool that works best for the system size*

PWS < 500 Individuals

Asset Management Worksheet
EPA Simple Asset Inventory for Very Small Systems (VSS)

PWS 500-3,300 Individuals

EPA -Asset Management: Handbook for Small Water Systems
Check Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS)

PWS > 3,300 Individuals

EPA Infrastructure Needs Survey (DWINSA)
MassDEP Capital Improvement Planning Guidance Document

* Other Planning Tools as approved by MassDEP

Diagram of Five Cores of Asset Management - current state, long-term funding plan, level of service, minimum life-cycle cost, critical assets

When to Engage Your System with Asset Management?

New System

A new system develops Capacity & Asset Management through the new system/new source approval process:

Step 1 - Complete the MassDEP Asset Management Worksheet and incorporate the Capacity review into your new system approval process.

Step 2 - Transfer the information from the Asset Management Worksheet into CUPSS or the equivalent MassDEP approved water system planning tool. Examples of alternative tools are available in the Asset Management Tool Box to accommodate for your system's size.

Step 3 - Reach Capacity by exploring the Financial and Managerial needs of your system through your Asset Management tool. For example, CUPSS will provide you with a tailored Asset Management Plan for your system.

Existing System

An existing system develops Capacity & Asset Management through using the available tools and programs:

Step 1 - Review the Asset Management Worksheet created for your system, based on previous Sanitary Survey information.

What are the Benefits of Asset Management?

Save money. With better planning you can fund upgrades and replacements, have better maintenance, and increase the life of your equipment
Protect public health. Properly maintained equipment supplies fresh drinking water to consumers.
Better emergency response planning. Improve your response to emergencies, security, and safety issues.
Asset Check Up Reports (CUPSS). Produce and analyze reports to efficiently manage equipment and assets.
Financial Check Up Reports (CUPSS). Make informed decisions based on sound operational and financial planning.
Daily Task Manager, Inventory Schematic, Capital Improvements Project lists, Asset Risk Matrix (CUPSS)
Produce a complete Asset Management Plan in CUPSS. CUPSS is a free, comprehensive, asset management tool that creates capacity for both drinking water and wastewater utilities. This tool tailors Asset Management Plans.
Have information to complete EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). PWS asset management information can be used in completing the EPA DWINSA reports. The EPA uses DWINSA results to allocate DWSRF funds to the states and tribes as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/dwns/index.cfm
Have information to apply for EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). PWS asset management information can be used to meet planning requirements for grants and loans. When applying for DWSRF funds, more points will be awarded to systems with asset management plans and capital improvement plans. http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/wastewater/dwsrf.htm.

Mass DEP Using Capacity/ Asset Management

MassDEP encourages all new and existing systems to keep an updated Asset Management Plan. MassDEP will require PWS to demonstrate Capacity by using Asset Management Plans at specific times: For new systems, you must be approved for Adequate Capacity before going on line. For existing systems, you must be approved for Adequate Capacity when applying for SRF grant funding, when your system is a significant non-complier (SNC) or a potential SNC, you have a major violation, you need to comply with a major infrastructure requirement or has submitted plans for a major infrastructure improvement, or you propose or implement a substantial modification to the system (e.g., transfer of ownership).

Where can you get more information on Asset Management?

Asset Management Worksheet http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/assetmgt.pdf
EPA Simple Asset Inventory for Very Small Systems (VSS)
http://water.epa.gov/type/drink/pws/smallsystems/managementhelp.cfm#asset
EPA -Asset Management: Handbook for Small Water Systems
http://water.epa.gov/type/drink/pws/smallsystems/managementhelp.cfm#asset
Check Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS) http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/pws/cupss/index.cfm
Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) Template http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/dwinsaq.pdf
MassDEP Capital Improvement Planning Guidance Document
http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/laws/policies.htm#srf
Massachusetts Coalition for Small System Assistance (Assistance for systems serving less than 10,000 persons): http://www.masmallwatersystem.org/

Technical Assistance Contacts for Asset Management

Michael Maynard: Michael.Maynard@state.ma.us Office: 508-767-2735

Yvette DePeiza: Yvette.Depeiza@state.ma.us Office: 617-292-5857

(1) "Asset management is maintaining a desired level of service for what you want your assets to provide at the lowest life cycle cost. Lowest life cycle cost refers to the best appropriate cost for rehabilitating, repairing or replacing an asset. Asset management is implemented through an asset management program and typically includes a written asset management plan." -- Asset Management: A Best Practices Guide (US EPA)