Page 12 - Sept/Oct 2015 Vol.33 No.3
P. 12
Utility Success from page 11 in the near future. Investing heavily on progressing with respect to the developed
something that is expected to occur in plan, the need for an update or an
How much does a Plan cost? the long-term may prove to be inaccurate amendment will vary from community
due to the long time span (inflation to community. If everything is falling
The cost of the plan will vary from index, changes in the collection system, into place as predicted, then the Utility
customer to customer due to the system management preferences, etc.), making will need to update the plan at or near the
needs, the areas of growth and the level the detailed plan unnecessary. end of the 20-year period. If things have
of work required by the plan preparation. changed considerably with regards to how
The typical plan cost is often recovered a community is growing, an amendment
A more detailed within the first couple of projects to the plan may be required to reassess the
plan may be more identified by the plan. Fees may range community and system needs and future
expensive to from $20,000 for a small system to plan of action.
prepare, providing more than $100,000 for larger, more
better evaluation complicated systems. Amendments or Bringing it all together
of alternatives/ updates to an existing plan often involve
options with less work and cost much less than new Whether you have a plan in place
potential to return plan development. or are thinking about beginning the
more savings/ process, remember the words of author
benefits to the How often should a Plan be Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits
Utility. Such a plan re-assessed? of Highly Effective People “Begin with
may also require the End in Mind … begin each day, task,
more time to The plan often looks at the immediate or project with a clear vision of your
prepare, but may needs of a system - for example the next desired direction and destination, and
be more important one to two years, or the next three to then continue by flexing your proactive
to the client that ten years - along with long-term needs muscles to make things happen.”
has an immediate such as 10 to 20 years. The referenced These words are especially true for
major project time periods are such because of the ensuring the success of your Utility by
during the next capability to make accurate projections providing a greater, positive impact to
couple of years. and to establish accurate project budgets your community found in the focus,
On the other hand, a more detailed and useful life of most infrastructure structure and resolve within the Capital
approach may not be necessary for a components. Improvements Plan.
system that has no immediate needs
Depending on how a community is
12 TPW September/October 2015
something that is expected to occur in plan, the need for an update or an
How much does a Plan cost? the long-term may prove to be inaccurate amendment will vary from community
due to the long time span (inflation to community. If everything is falling
The cost of the plan will vary from index, changes in the collection system, into place as predicted, then the Utility
customer to customer due to the system management preferences, etc.), making will need to update the plan at or near the
needs, the areas of growth and the level the detailed plan unnecessary. end of the 20-year period. If things have
of work required by the plan preparation. changed considerably with regards to how
The typical plan cost is often recovered a community is growing, an amendment
A more detailed within the first couple of projects to the plan may be required to reassess the
plan may be more identified by the plan. Fees may range community and system needs and future
expensive to from $20,000 for a small system to plan of action.
prepare, providing more than $100,000 for larger, more
better evaluation complicated systems. Amendments or Bringing it all together
of alternatives/ updates to an existing plan often involve
options with less work and cost much less than new Whether you have a plan in place
potential to return plan development. or are thinking about beginning the
more savings/ process, remember the words of author
benefits to the How often should a Plan be Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits
Utility. Such a plan re-assessed? of Highly Effective People “Begin with
may also require the End in Mind … begin each day, task,
more time to The plan often looks at the immediate or project with a clear vision of your
prepare, but may needs of a system - for example the next desired direction and destination, and
be more important one to two years, or the next three to then continue by flexing your proactive
to the client that ten years - along with long-term needs muscles to make things happen.”
has an immediate such as 10 to 20 years. The referenced These words are especially true for
major project time periods are such because of the ensuring the success of your Utility by
during the next capability to make accurate projections providing a greater, positive impact to
couple of years. and to establish accurate project budgets your community found in the focus,
On the other hand, a more detailed and useful life of most infrastructure structure and resolve within the Capital
approach may not be necessary for a components. Improvements Plan.
system that has no immediate needs
Depending on how a community is
12 TPW September/October 2015
