Urban Water and WastewaterUrban Water and WastewaterInfrastructure in EuropeInfrastructure in Europe

Dr Gerald JonesDr Gerald JonesChairman Cost Action C3Chairman Cost Action C3

COST C3 - Diagnosis of Urban InfrastructureCOST C3 - Diagnosis of Urban InfrastructureFocus on Water and WastewaterFocus on Water and Wastewater

Current ParticipantsCurrent Participants

Belgium Italy

Canada Norway

Denmark Portugal

Finland Switzerland

France UK

Germany

The ApproachThe Approach

� Sharing experience between participants

� International workshop - Identifying Needs and Problems, Brussels 1996

� National workshops e.g. Italy, France, Germany, Finland

� Programme development for future initiatives

Formulating a perspective and set of priorities from

an end user viewpoint

� Problem definition - the managers viewpoint

� Information/data management

� Data acquisition

� Making decisions

Key AreasKey Areas

Key AreasKey Areas

Problem Definition - The Managers ViewpointProblem Definition - The Managers Viewpoint

� Knowledge of condition and performance still rather limited

� General acceptance of need for increased capital and maintenance expenditure

� Systematic ways of dealing with problems can avoid a serious ‘infrastrucrure crisis’

Problem Definition - The Managers Viewpoint Problem Definition - The Managers Viewpoint (contd)(contd)

� Need indicators of system performance as a basis for rehabilitation planning

� Pipe systems must be assessed in the context of their surrounding environment

� Need to co-ordinate activity on different infrastructure systems

Problem Definition - The Managers Viewpoint Problem Definition - The Managers Viewpoint (contd)(contd)

� Recent developments in Information Technology offer major efficiency improvement opportunities

� Need competent professional management skills to successfully tackle the infrastructure problem

Decision Making Processes - Key ElementsDecision Making Processes - Key Elements

Sustainabilitytargets

Systemconfiguration

Performanceindicators

Performancetargets

Legal regulations/political demands

Sustainabilitytargets

Systemconfiguration

Performanceindicators

Performancetargets

Legal regulations/political demands

Decision Making Process - Key ElementsDecision Making Process - Key Elements

Meeting &control of targets

Data collection

Analysis & diagnosis

Maintenance & rehabilitation

measures

Technicaldecisionmaking

Datatransformation

Meeting &control of targets

Data collection

Analysis & diagnosis

Maintenance & rehabilitation

measures

Technicaldecisionmaking

Datatransformation

Decision Making Process (contd)Decision Making Process (contd)

GoodGoodMarketMarket

NoNoMarketMarket

Vegetation and Urban Civil EngineeringVegetation and Urban Civil Engineering

� Urban trees/vegetation of increasing importance and concern

� Infrastructure disturbed and damaged by trees/vegetation

� Vegetation/trees damaged by construction work

Vegetation and Urban Civil EngineeringVegetation and Urban Civil Engineering

City Gardeners/Utility Engineers/Contractors

Short SightedEconomic Interests

NarrowMinded Views

Conflict

Vegetation and Urban Civil EngineeringVegetation and Urban Civil Engineering

City Gardeners/Utility Engineers/Contractors

Open minded collaboration

Conflict Revolution

Sensible SolutionsSensible Solutions

Key PointsKey PointsTowards:-

Active Management

Target expenditure whilst minimising risk of failure

Away from:-

Crisis (or Reactive) Management

This represents a significant change for many countries

Key Points (contd)Key Points (contd)

Need improved enabling technologies to measure and assess performance and condition

Not all problems are associated with older systems

Key Points (contd)Key Points (contd)

Need improved funding mechanisms to transfer experience and know-how between countries

Future Programme AreasFuture Programme Areas

I Management Tools and Decision Support

II Water Distribution

III Sewerage

IV Sustainable stormwater management

V Urban vegetation

Existing, renovated, new

systems}

Future PerspectiveFuture Perspective

Increasingly stringent requirements

- regulators- customers

Need to target investments

Magnitude and Strategic

Importance of Asset

due

to

IncreasingEmphasis

Future Perspective (contd)Future Perspective (contd)

Problems with newinfrastructure needto be addressed

� Product performance

� Quality

� Procurement practice

� Site skills

� etc.

Future Perspective (contd)Future Perspective (contd)

Re-structuring of end-users

Regionalisation corporatisation

Need to re-define, re-structuresupply chains

Future Perspective (contd)Future Perspective (contd)

End-user/customer sophistication

Larger butLess customers

Increasing