Abstract
The County of Sacramento, Department of Water Resources, Stormwater Utility (Utility) is currently evaluating how an improved asset management strategy will benefit the Utility, its employees, and its customers. Asset management practices have the potential to redefine the way the Utility charges development and long term user fees, funds capital improvement projects, and conducts daily maintenance practices. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of changes to its asset management practices, the Utility must ask: 1) What the current asset management practices of the Utility are? 2) What are the current theories of practice and practical applications of asset management? 3) How can the Utility incorporate current theories and current applications into a strategy that can be successfully applied to manage Utility Assets? In order to answer these questions interviews were held with three private consulting companies that provide asset management services in addition to literature review of published articles, manuals produced by engineering trade groups, and vendor provided information. The result is an implementation strategy that is designed to help the Utility gather and refine information about its new and existing assets, prioritize long term maintenance and replacement strategies, and build a base from which more comprehensive asset management strategies can be developed.