Water Haller: It is as much about how we address infrastructure renewal as it is about how much

It’s been an interesting week for me as far as water infrastructure goes. (Although every week is interesting in this job!)  But I have noticed a number of things that come together in my head.

 

For years we have been sounding the alarm about aging infrastructure and growth needs – all calling for funding of major infrastructure projects.  However, as we all know, it is as much about, or perhaps more about, “how” we address this infrastructure deficit as it is about “how much” we have to address.

 

The basic concepts of asset management teach us that we don’t just start at one end and replace everything until we get to the other end.  Rather it is about replacing (or repairing) the right thing at the right time (or at least before it is too late).  Last week I attended a fascinating demonstration of a pipeline assessment being conducted in a town near mine.  Greenland Engineering and Pipeline Inspection and Assessment (PIA) invited me to their demonstration as they determined the health of the pipes in this town and advised the utility on its replacement/repair priorities.

 

On top of just replacement, we need to consider future resiliency – preparing for climate and demographic changes.  Our Utility Leadership Committee is hard at work developing guidance on how we can incorporate resiliency into our planning.

 

Then over the weekend, I reviewed the nominations for the Water Canada Awards including a Partnership Award nomination for St. Albert, Alberta for their initiative to use an Integrated Project Delivery model that allowed them to inspire innovation, create a better final product, that was delivered on time and under budget.  We will be looking at all the variable collaborative delivery models at our National Conference in November.

 

Further west, we see news that Metro Vancouver was able to settle a dispute with the initial contractors for their North Vancouver project after that original contract failed. Again, lessons for all of us.  Meanwhile, we continue to watch the fallout of the Calgary feeder main failure and the lessons we can all learn.

 

These are interesting times for our industry!  Come and learn some of these lessons, or share your own stories at the National Water & Wastewater Conference in Halifax, November 1-4.  The Program is now completed and should be released very soon (as soon as we get everyone’s acceptance).  If you got a rejection notice for your proposal, I apologize – but we have received more proposals to present than EVER before.  But we will keep all proposals and you may be the next we call if we get a cancellation.

 

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