Water Treatment and Distribution |

Water Resource Management (WRM) understands the complexity and ever-changing atmosphere to operate your water treatment and/or distribution systems. The priority of compliance to EPA and DEP regulations is essential, as is reducing costs and system sustainability. The WRM Approach is to offer a compliment of services to allow us to look out for your long-term interests, and short-term options.

Operations

WRM has the personnel on staff to operate any system in New Jersey, including T-4 and W-4 systems.

A thorough evaluation is completed for each new system WRM resumes control of. This evaluation includes review of equipment health, historical operational data, procedures, O&M manuals, and regulatory compliance reports.

Preliminary recommendations will be generated and reviewed with the client. WRM can coordinate with contractors for repairs or work with the client to engage stakeholders when necessary.

WRM applies our knowledge and experience to operating systems while providing value-added services at no additional charge to our clients.

Process Improvement

There are operational techniques and low cost improvements that can have a substantial impact on energy and operational costs. WRM has institutional knowledge of many operational techniques and processes from numerous different systems, which allows us to import best practices from those systems. WRM will manage everything from historic equipment to the most current technologies.

Each new water utility under WRM management is reviewed for prospective process improvements. No cost items are implemented; cost items are proposed to the client to make a capital expenditure.

Compliance

The penalties for non-compliance with the EPA and DEP can be significant and expensive.

Our expert staff understands the complex and ever-changing regulations of today and how to keep systems in compliance. Submitting compliance reports on time, managing concerns and issues, and keeping the system in compliance are a fundamental part of the WRM Approach.

Sampling Plans

Plans for Routine Sampling, Revised Total Coliform, and Lead and Copper are facing ever increasing scrutiny from the DEP in response to public pressure and new scientific data on health. The NJDEP is in the process of reviewing all Lead and Copper Plans and will be rolling out revised regulations in 2017.

WRM is at the forefront of understanding new regulatory requirements and keeping our systems in compliance. Our Operations Manager, John Meier has even taught a course on the new Lead and Copper regulations to other Licensed Operators. We will update your Sampling Plans to comply with the newest regulatory requirements and keep them in compliance.

Succession Planning

One of the most important elements to the long-term sustainability of a water system is having a viable Succession Plan in place. Developing a pipeline of qualified Operators ensures your staff is ready and able when change happens. A retiring workforce requires planning to ensure their institutional knowledge stays with the system.

WRM is flexible in meeting the needs of your organization. We can develop a Succession Plan that meets your needs and fill the talent pool until your staff is ready to fulfill the leadership positions. This can be facilitated in one of two ways:

Licensed Operator of Direct Responsible Charge
Part-time Backup Operator

When a utility loses its Manager or Superintendent, designated with the DEP as the Licensed Operator of Direct Responsible Charge, often times their existing staff does not hold the appropriate licenses to assume that duty. The benefit of engaging WRM as a temporary Manager/Superintendent is the execution of a Succession Plan to ensure qualified individuals can be channeled and mentored to fill the Superintendent position in the future.

The Part-time Backup Operator position is a more proactive approach to Succession Planning and a tool when a Manager/Superintendent change will be required in the future. WRM brings operational, process improvement, and compliance expertise as a quality check on existing operations. WRM also brings unmatched experience in mentorship to guide and propel rising stars in your organization. The Backup Operator position is also recommended to ease the transition from a retiring Manager/Superintendent to temporary WRM control to your long-term replacement goals.

O&M Manual Development

How do you transfer important regulatory information and institutional knowledge? The answer is the O&M Manual.

O&M Manuals are often neglected as an important source of information and lost on the shelf. Relying on Operators to fully and effectively pass along important information about the system is not sufficient. A properly designed O&M Manual describes how to perform routine tasks, how to handle emergency situations, what personal protection equipment (PPE) is required, details equipment specifics, lists monitoring schedules, and includes any other relevant system information in an organized and concise fashion. A properly designed O&M Manual boosts productivity and reduces mistakes.

The O&M Manual is a critical component in implementing Succession Planning, serving as a roadmap to operations and compliance. WRM can revise your current O&M Manuals to properly capture your system’s unique processes and compliance requirements, allowing for clear expectations and enhanced accountability for operations staff.

Asset Management

Asset Management Plans are promoted by the EPA and DEP as a tool to help maintain a desired level of service with your assets to provide the service at the lowest life cycle cost. They provide a tool for making informed, reasoned decisions on rehabilitating, repairing, or replacing an asset, and for forecasting capital budget needs.

Asset Management Plans are also a key prioritization factor in funding improvement projects through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT).

WRM can develop an Asset Management plan that allows for increased transparency in where capital funds are spent and identify the potential budgetary shortfalls. We will work with the NJEIT to include the cost of asset management planning in your next NJEIT funded capital improvement project.

Rate Case Analysis

Asset Management Plans are a great tool to identify budgetary shortfalls. Rate Case Analyses are how you address those shortfalls early enough so as to minimize the impact on the end consumer. Even as a stand-alone service, a Rate Case Analysis can ensure your customers are paying a fair rate and the utility has sufficient funds to maintain operations and procure needed capital improvements. The regulations on water facilities are only getting more stringent, so budget management is becoming more important than ever.

WRM performs an in-depth analysis of your system health and capacity, future capital needs, user base, and current rate structure. We use a balanced process to ensure the system’s needs can be met, while minimizing cost increases to the end consumer. Rate structures adjustments can sometimes yield additional revenue while providing a minimal cost increase, so our analysis includes different rate structure options as well. A WRM Rate Case Analysis will allow you to maintain rate predictability and minimize the negative impact on the customer.

Summary

The WRM Approach is, at its core, about applying our expertise to maintaining the long-term health and performance of a utility. The core of our business model is adding value to our customers while reducing long-term costs.

WRM does this with a team approach. When you contract with WRM you secure a support staff with a wide range of expertise behind the Operator on site. Our management team is in constant contact with each Operator, and pools resources as necessary to handle any unforeseen circumstance. We have the additional engineering support of our parent company, Remington & Vernick Engineers as well.