Effective Utility Management (EUM) assessment

Effective utility management (EUM) assessment facilitation

The Effective Utility Management (EUM) initiative provides a comprehensive roadmap for water and wastewater providers navigating an increasingly complex landscape.

By leveraging the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Utilities, we can help your organization transition from reactive troubleshooting to proactive excellence.

What we do

Managing a modern utility means keeping a lot of balls in the air. The EUM framework and the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Utilities (10 Attributes) serve as reference points to ensure a balanced, proactive approach and prevent organizational firefighting.

Utilities can use this approach to maximize resources, enhance performance, and strengthen elements of the organization’s culture. We work closely with your team to help you make the most of EUM as a resource. The framework is flexible – our use of it is tailored to your utility's needs.

This could include:

Guiding a self-assessment of your utility’s practices as they compare to the best practices identified through EUM. This could include targeted surveys of leadership team members, work sessions with subject matter experts, or other engagement opportunities.
Delivering customized training to your employees or other stakeholders, focused on the EUM initiative, its benefits, and how it can be incorporated into day-to-day activities. Raftelis has developed a highly interactive simulation called Wateropolis that introduces participants to EUM in the context of utility budgeting and then provides subsequent training opportunities for other audiences.
Identifying appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The EUM framework and the associated AWWA Benchmarking Program provide an excellent starting point for implementing a performance-based, data-driven approach to utility management. We help with shifting from theoretical to implemented.
Using EUM to drive a larger priority-setting exercise or strategic plan. Strategic planning is a core service for Raftelis, and plans informed by the Effective Utility Management framework are resilient, inclusive, and industry-informed.

Our process

Our team uses the EUM framework to benchmark your current operations against industry best practices, conducting a thorough review that uncovers hidden efficiencies and opportunities. By identifying and closing these gaps, we can ensure that your priorities align with national standards and empower you to modernize operations, enhance resilience, and confidently chart the course for what’s next.