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November 13, 1998
Development of AMSA/AMWA Resource Guide Provides Opportunities and Assistance to MembersAMSA and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) have initiated the development of a powerful new competitiveness tool that will assist public utilities in their efforts to manage their operations more efficiently and cost effectively. This week AMSA and AMWA went online with Competitive Management Practices for Public Utilities: An AMSA/AMWA Resource Guide - a collaborative project designed to collect, from public water and wastewater utilities, descriptive and quantitative information on best practices in the delivery of support services. We are pleased to invite you to share your agency's competitive management practices by participating in the Resource Guide project - the most recent of our management initiatives.
In particular, the Resource Guide will focus on support and management processes, which are extensively studied and reviewed by the business sector, but have received less attention by water and wastewater utilities due to their traditional emphasis on improving operation and maintenance practices. By completing a short profile form, AMSA member agencies have the opportunity to showcase their competitive edge.
Upon its February 1999 release, Competitive Management Practices for Public Utilities: An AMSA/AMWA Resource Guide will provide public utilities seeking a new approach to a long-standing business process, with the best examples of proven strategies. Available both online, as a searchable database, and in hard copy, the guide will serve as a valuable supplement to AMSA and AMWA's other competitiveness publications. Over time, as public utilities nationwide build this library of competitive practices, we anticipate that you will find its content increasingly complete and helpful.
December 18 Deadline Set for Initial SubmittalsDoes your agency have a competitive practice to share? Simply look for the AMSA/AMWA Resource Guide logo on the Clean Water on the Web home page at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org to become one of the featured utilities. December 18 is the deadline for completion of competitive practice profile forms. We strongly encourage you to complete your profile form online. This greatly enhances our ability to incorporate your profile into the Resource Guide database. If online completion of the form is not possible. Please take a moment to print the form or complete the hard copy provided in Member Update 98-18 (forwarded to AMSA's members today) and fax (202/833-4657) your responses to Jeni Hornback, AMSA's Manager, Information Systems. Participation in the development of the Resource Guide by as many members as possible will ensure its success and value to all public utilities. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
AMSA Meets with NRDC on Incineration Issues
AMSA and its Biosolids Management Committee Co-chair Bob Dominak met earlier this week with Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) senior attorney Jessica Landman to address sewage sludge incineration (SSI) issues of concern to the two organizations. The discussion focused primarily on data and comments provided by AMSA and NRDC to EPA in anticipation of final SSI technical amendments to the Part 503 sewage sludge regulations, proposed section 129 actions under the Clean Air Act, and dioxin issues. AMSA and NRDC have differing views on the extent of further EPA regulatory programs under consideration for agencies that practice SSI. AMSA and NRDC agreed to continue the discussions and evaluate other regulatory options for consideration by EPA.