Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

elated federal, state and local government offices. This information would include processes
and results for planning, threat assessment, site characterization, consequence assessment,
system effectiveness and risk analysis. During the last term of the Clinton Administration, the
President issued Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 62, Combating Terrorism, and PDD 63,
Critical Infrastructure Protection, to create an integrated structure for combating terrorist attacks
that involve explosives, chemical or biological agents, or sabotage against infrastructures
(utilities). PDD 63 also created the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office. These directives
demonstrate the critical importance of bringing KM into U.S. drinking water utilities.
In May 2005, MQI briefed approximately150 Nuclear Regulatory Commission executives
on the intelligent complex adaptive organization and its KM implications. During the discussions
it became clear that there was concern regarding future infrastructure capabilities and security
throughout the nation. The continuing increase in complexity of all utilities exposes them to
ever-increasing ways of disruption and failure. Interestingly enough, this did not arise during
informal conversations following a briefing earlier provided to 220 senior government executives
from 24 different Federal agencies. It was clear that managing government organizations which
needed to be adaptable required different leadership and approaches than managing those
organizations (or subdivisions) which performed repetitive work and therefore required strong
discipline and control. Clearly drinking water utilities include both of these aspects, thereby
necessitating KM to address each aspect in a different way.
Reference:
AMSA/AMWA (2004). “The Changing Workforce…Crisis & Opportunity.” An
AMSA/AMWA Checklist. Washington, D.C.: AMSA/AMWA.
AwwaRF and AWWA (2004). “Selection and Definition of Performance Indicators
for Water and Wastewater Utilities.” Denver, CO: AwwaRF.
Government Accounting Office (2001). KM Practices in Government.
Washington, D.C.: GAO.
National Research Council (2005). “Public Water Supply Distribution Systems
Assessing and Reducing Risks” First Report. Washington, D.C.: NRC.
Mountain Quest Institute
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