Sewer systems and performance indicators––into the 21st century

With increasing global privatisation of water service provision and interest in sustainability, the challenge in setting appropriate measures and targets for performance of both service providers and assets is crucial. The business and regulatory context within which the UK water service providers (WSPs) operate is complex. In the UK performance comparisons for a range of service and other attributes are made by the Regulators. In addition other performance measurement frameworks and indicators, especially in the area of environmental sustainability, have been proposed by bodies external to the WSPs. The emergence of interest in asset serviceability is adding to the complexity of performance measurement and comparison and creates tension between short-run demands of customers and longer-term requirements for sustainability.

Against this background this paper reviews the current framework for measuring and assessing performance of UK WSPs. This review illustrates a number of issues. Firstly the complexity and high levels of performance assessment set by the regulators. Secondly the rapidly changing business and regulatory context in which performance assessment and comparison is made, especially the requirements to measure and demonstrate `serviceability'. Thirdly the problems and difficulty of making meaningful comparisons between WSPs. Fourthly the tension between different areas of performance notably between value for money and customer needs and ecological sustainability.

Three examples are provided in the paper covering the assessment of: the relative sustainability of service provision to deal with sanitary waste; proposals for performance targets for rat control in sewers; a generic framework for including sustainability in decision making for asset management planning. It is concluded that there are major difficulties in the setting of performance indicators. Contextual and institutional aspects appear to control how these are set, with short-term costs and current regulations being the primary drivers. In the UK, this approach appears to discourage WSPs from investing in innovative solutions and whole-life performance of their assets. It is clear that new research is required if the correct balance in devising appropriate performance indicators is to be attained.