04 เมษายน 2565
Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) creates a new dimension in water supply management. We have adopted an Effective Utility Management approach (EUM) to determine the direction of management of the organization to be the first water utility organization in Thailand. Recently, a self-assessment report and an improvement plan have been prepared according to the EUM criteria and linked to the PWA strategic plan.
Mr. Somboon Sunantapongsak, the former governor of PWA, initiated EUM as a guideline to develop our water supply system to meet international standards and be the first water utility organization in Thailand. We aim to enhance the quality of life for our customers in 74 provinces across the country (Except Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan) to receive adequate and thorough water supply service. Recently, PWA has studied guidelines for the management of waterworks according to EUM criteria to drive and improve work processes followed EUM and linked to the PWA strategic plan. The self-assessment report and the EUM-based improvement plan were linked to PWA Strategic Plan and completed on March 9, 2022.
The implementation of the EUM in PWA begins with a self-assessment based on current conditions and actual data from 10 attributes: 1. Product Quality, 2. Customer Satisfaction, 3. Employee and Leadership Development, 4. Operational Optimization, 5. Financial Viability, 6. Infrastructure Strategy and Performance, 7. Enterprise Resiliency, 8. Community Sustainability, 9. Water Resource Sustainability, and 10. Stakeholder Understanding and Support.
In addition, the implementation of the EUM Guidelines requires an evaluation of five keys management success: 1. Leadership, 2. Strategic Business Planning, 3. Knowledge Management, 4. Measurement, and 5. Continual Improvement Management. Then, we carry out a workflow improvement plan based on the EUM criteria and the operational procedures, goals, indicators, and outcomes for each plan are determined to be linked to the PWA Strategic Plan.
The EUM concept is an accepted framework for water utilities in the United States and many other countries as a good practice. The goals are to enable water utility organizations to operate under proven practices in order to improve work and move toward sustainability in line with community and societal needs, as well as to deal with a variety of challenges that water utility organizations can use to identify key opportunities for improvement and develop a sustainability roadmap.
The EUM is a self-assessment criterion that allows water utilities to prioritize which improvements will be done first or later. As well as making improvement plans for the organization to achieve sustainable development, where the criteria EUM is another important mechanism to drive PWA to be a sustainable organization capable of creating value and delivering clean and safe tap water to customers in accordance with international standards.
