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Summary: Offers Best Practice Future Management
Review: Infrastructure comprises the essential networks that make sure that big cities and larger communities are able to function and are supplied with their essential needs. Telecommunications, the postal service, road, rail and air transport systems are all classed as infrastructure. Water is an essential good and water infrastructure - the above ground and under ground network of water distribution and wastewater collection systems of pipes, pumping stations, hydrants, storage facilities - ensures that consumers are connected to, and receive water from the public system and are able to discharge waste water for centralized treatment and disposal.Such an important asset needs to be maintained in order to ensure that consumers at the end of the distribution system receive water of the highest quality and without egress of micro-organisms, contaminants and sundry deposits either for drinking , commercial or agricultural end-use. The network needs to be maintained free of breaks, internal corrosion and normal deterioration over time. But how to identify when, where, and the extent of infrastructure which is not performing well, needs replacement or has broken and corroded? How best can infrastructure be managed to guarantee minimum disruption and at minimal cost to all and with ann eye to the future? Assessing the Future: Water Utility Infrastructure Management by David Hughes seeks to answer these questions and to do so with an eye on best practice future management. There are four main sections. The first deals with strategic approaches for corporate water utilities in US and Europe models and their differences. Life cycle analysis is now recognized as a central tool for proper asset valuation, maintenance and replacement costing. There is recognition of the essential role of computerized internal management systems to managing these large assets efficiently and effectively. The second section of the book focuses on materials engineering from a practical standpoint. A series of different situations are examined on a case by case basis. Evaluating the infrastructure of a water treatment plant (Philadelphia), undertaking a plant improvement program, dealing with pipe failures are among those cited. Chapter 10 provides a toolkit for water main renewal planning with subsequent chapters dealing with condition assessment, pipeline replacement planning, and new technologies for optimizing management of pipe assets. Section three of the book looks at software for infrastructure management and the range of offerings available to best address particular situations. Section four covers issues such as trenchless technology, public involvement in asset management programs and financial modeling in preparing water infrastructure plans. - Reviewer - Australian Water Association
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