APWA Accreditation Program
Transcription
APWA Accreditation Program
APWA Accreditation Program Guiding Your Organization Through A Comprehensive Assessment Process Clark Regional Wastewater District John M. Peterson, P.E. General Manager Kim Thur Executive Assistant Agenda • Comprehensive Assessment Benefits • Clark Regional Wastewater District (CRWWD) Overview • APWA Program Overview • Self-Assessment Process • Accreditation Process • CRWWD Story • In Summary 2 Comprehensive Assessment Benefits Comprehensive Assessment Benefits • Ensure effective & efficient operations – Consistent with customer expectations • Ensure reliable, predictable service • Manage financial resources in responsible, efficient & effective manner • Protect public & environmental health & safety • Optimize use of existing facilities • Maintain financial transparency • Measure against national standards • Identify “opportunities” 4 Comprehensive Assessment Benefits • Improve professionalism & delivery of services • Validation of staff & organization • Continuous improvement/crossfunction coordination • Training • Succession planning 5 Comprehensive Assessment Benefits • APWA provides framework to achieve benefits – Assessment process • Best national management standards – Good fit • Applicable to all operations – Flexible • Self-assessment or accreditation – Cost-effective – Recognized organization 6 CRWWD Overview CRWWD Overview • Sewer district (RCW 57) – Full-service collection utility, est. 1958 • 3 member Board • 44 employees (administration, engineering, finance, maintenance) – Rate / connection charge supported • $34 / month / ERU • $1,898 (local collection); $4,444 (regional treatment) – $19.5M annual budget 8 CRWWD Overview • Service area – 37 square miles – 34,000 ERUs – 80,000 people • Infrastructure – 550 miles pipe – 50 pump stations CRWWD CRWWD CRWWD • Treatment (8 mgd) – Clark County – City of Vancouver 9 CRWWD Overview • Mission – Providing customer-focused, professional wastewater services in an environmentally and financially responsible manner • Vision – An active partner in Clark County, to support economic development and to manage and protect water resources • Values – – – – – – – Stewardship Employees Responsibility Valued Partner Innovation & learning Communication Efficient & Effective Solutions 10 APWA Program Overview APWA Program Overview • Two Options – Self-assessment • Process for internal checks & balances • Refine policies & procedures • Compare agency with national standards – Accreditation (site evaluation) • Validates self-assessment • APWA evaluators review compliance • Become nationally accredited agency 12 APWA Program Overview • Pacific Northwest accredited agencies – City of Anacortes, WA – City of Bellevue, WA • Transportation Department • Utilities Department – City of Bend, OR – Clark Regional Wastewater District – City of Eugene, OR • Public Works Department – Pierce County, WA • Public Works • Utilities 60 accredited agencies in North America 13 APWA Program Overview • Pacific Northwest agencies in progress – City of Albany, OR – City of Bothell, WA • Public Works Department – City of Lewiston, ID • Public Works Department 14 Self-Assessment Process Self-Assessment Process • Public Works Management Practices Manual – Software available • Select self-assessment manager – APWA recommended skill-set • • • • • • Experience in organization Knowledge of agency processes People person Organized Decision-maker Committed to success 16 Self-Assessment Process • Select chapters – 35 chapters contain 529 practices – Examples of chapters: • • • • • • Human Resource Management Finance Safety Project Management Potable Water Wastewater Collection & Conveyance – For CRWWD, 18 chapters & 289 practices applied (v. 5) 17 Self-Assessment Process • Chapter 29: Wastewater Collection & Conveyance Practices – 29.1: Collection & Conveyance Management Plan – 29.2: Operations Manual – 29.3: Records – 29.4: Infrastructure Inventory – 29.5: Infrastructure Condition – 29.6: Infrastructure Management – 29.7: Facility Maintenance & Inspection – 29.8: Inflow & Infiltration – 29.9: Illicit Discharges – 29.10: Industrial Pretreatment – 29.11: Energy Consumption Reports – 29.12: Sanitary Sewer Overflows – 29.13: Testing Alarms – 29.14: Safety – 29.15: Long-Range System Planning – 29.16: Capacity 18 Self-Assessment Process • Practice 29.5 Sample 29.5 Infrastructure Condition A record of the wastewater collection and conveyance system infrastructure condition is maintained and updated on a regular schedule. Records of infrastructure condition are maintained and used in tracking maintenance and operating costs and identifying service needs to maximize life expectancy of the infrastructure. 19 Self-Assessment Process • Chapter 4: Finance - Practice 4.6 Sample 4.6 Rate Setting Rates are set for both internal and external customers for designated goods or services according to financial objectives, equity, efficiency and administrative feasibility. Determination of the rate or price for a given good or service should take the cost of service analysis into account along with applicable laws and regulations. The characteristics of how and why the customer consumes the good or the service, the timing of payment for the good or service and the community’s sense of equity and efficiency are important factors in determining how and what the customer actually pays. 20 Self-Assessment Process • Self-assessment manager: – Assigns chapters – Maintains files – Tracks status – Provides progress reports – Finalizes practices – Submits approved practices to Director for signature 21 Self-Assessment Process • Staff: – Review practices & compliance level • • • • Full Substantial Partial Non-Compliance – Provide explanation of compliance – Substantiate compliance level 22 Self-Assessment Process • Self-assessment completion: – Utilize results for continuous improvement OR – Submit results to APWA for certificate of completion 23 Accreditation Process Accreditation Process • Set budget – APWA costs – Staff time • Create schedule • Submit application • APWA provides – Agreement – Checklist 25 Accreditation Process • Improve less than “Substantial” procedures • Update – Documentation – Tracking Software 26 Accreditation Process • Submit documentation • Submit site evaluation request • APWA sends evaluation team – 3 evaluators / 3 days 27 Accreditation Process • Typical Site Visit – Sunday • Welcome & orientation • Chapter 1: Organization & Strategic Planning • Tour – Monday & Tuesday • Interviews – verification with examples – Wednesday • Finish interviews • Evaluators review final results with agency • Done by 12 PM 28 Accreditation Process • Accreditation recommended • Awarded accreditation for 4-year term – APWA representative • Continuous improvement – Biennial update – Substantial ratings improved to Full – Re-Accreditation? 29 CRWWD Story CRWWD Story • Initially accredited 2005 – Substantial & Full compliance ratings • Sought re-accreditation 2009 – What we changed • Develop scope & schedule • Provide more engaging process 31 CRWWD Story • Re-Accreditation kickoff breakfast (January) – Management served employees – APW-Yay! • Update practices / documentation – 20% per month (Feb-Jun) – Regular status reports • Internal review by: – Departments – Re-Accreditation Manager – Director 32 CRWWD Story • Celebration BBQ – Materials submitted! (July) 33 CRWWD Story • Site evaluation (August) – Interviewees with “observers” • Awarded Re-Accreditation (September) – 100% practices Full compliance – Five model practices • • • • • Organizational chart & description of duties Policies & procedures review process Strategic Plan Claims reporting & investigation manual Safety Manual 34 CRWWD Story • CRWWD Suggestions … – Make the commitment! • Scope process • Allow staff time for process – Express appreciation • Good food & friendly services – Kickoff breakfast – Celebration BBQ 35 CRWWD Story • Key: Involvement! – Elected officials support – Practices in staff’s hands – Make it an event – Communicate, communicate, communicate 36 In Summary In Summary • It’s worth the effort – – – – Ensures effective & efficient operations Identifies opportunities Measures against national standards Improves professionalism & delivery of services – Validation of staff/organization – Provides continuous improvement/ cross-function coordination – Platform for succession planning/training “We are an improved organization due to the APWA accreditation process.” ~ Clark Regional Wastewater District 38 Questions? John Peterson General Manager (360) 993-8819 [email protected] www.crwwd.com Kim Thur Executive Assistant (360) 993-8822 [email protected] www.crwwd.com Ann Daniels Director of Credentialing (800) 848-2792 [email protected] www.apwa.net/About/Accreditation/ 39