2006 Water Comprehensive Plan - City of Bellevue

ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTDevelopment of Bellevue’s Asset Management Program builds on the Utility’s existing assetinformation and historical infrastructure management practices. It is consistent with theUtilities’ Strategic Plan Initiative for Infrastructure Management, which envisions an enterprisewidemethod to balance cost, risk, and benefit when making decisions about asset construction,rehabilitation, replacement, or abandonment. The AMP requires a sustainable approach whichbalances the economic, social, cultural, and environmental implications of business decisions.Consequently, it recognizes the long term liability associated with the Utility’s assets, andincludes a long term funding strategy.As mentioned, the Bellevue’s AMP is evolving with the industry, as Utility resources allow.Utility Financial Policies and other Comprehensive Plan Operational Policies support systemmanagement for the long term. The Operations and Maintenance Annual Plan and CapitalInvestment Program support program implementation. As software systems for inventory andcondition tracking, and maintenance management are replaced, due consideration is given toenhanced functionality to allow “smarter” system management. Studies are completedperiodically to refine forecast estimates of fiscal resources required to manage the systemconsistent with AMP goals.A summary of current practices for each of the identified AMP core processes is includedbelow, along with specific improvement strategies staff are studying for each.Inventory AssetsSUMMARY OF CORE PROCESSESBellevue’s current inventory of water system assets is generally very complete. Most assetshave unique identification numbers, providing a way to easily associate the asset with all therelevant information needed to effectively manage it. Water pipelines do not currently haveunique identification numbers. Bellevue is developing of a methodology and implementationplan for assigning identification numbers to pipes.Assess ConditionThe “Assess Condition” process collects technical and statistical information about thecondition of assets and how they are performing. The information is used to estimate theresidual life until intervention is required or the asset reaches the end of its expected physicallife. Condition and reliability monitoring supports estimates of business risk exposure andimproves maintenance and CIP strategies. The Utility develops an understanding of failurecauses and rates of decay for classes of assets based on condition assessment data.Bellevue routinely assesses the condition of all of its major assets. The processes for conditionassessment of above ground assets is generally very thorough and provides the information7-2