AWWA ACE63265

The Operations Excellence Council was organized in 2004 and has implemented processimprovements, developed workforce flexibility, and improved team identity at the Santa Clara Valley Water District in San Jose, California. It follows theDistrict CEO's vision for a "cleaner, greener, and leaner" organization to produce high qualitydrinking water, be environmental stewards, and to have efficient operations. This paper is focused on the Water Utility Operations Division of the Water Utility Enterpriseand its efforts to make process improvements through an expanded management team. In late2004, the District was faced with a request by the State of California to shift $51 million ofproperty tax revenues (over 2 years) from the District to help cover the State's budget shortfall.The fiscal year 2005-2006 budget has incorporated this revenue shift as well as other costcontainment actions. At the same time, the District is adding new treatment processes and ismaintaining aging infrastructure while trying to hold the line on water rate increases. The CEO hasadopted the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program framework and other business tools tomeet these challenges. To comply with the vision, the Water Utility Operations Divisionorganized an expanded management team to generate new ideas and to implement processimprovements. Includes tables.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

06/01/2006

Number of Pages:

9

File Size:

1 file , 260 KB