AWWA QualServe Program

October 22, 1998

Linda Jennings
Providing quality services and products with customer satisfaction is the goal of the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”). In an effort to accomplish this, DPU entered into the Total Quality Management movement in 1992.

In 1997, DPU applied to the American Water Works Association (“AWWA’) for inclusion in its QualServe Program.  This was DUP’s next step in furthering its quality efforts in providing its customers the highest level of service and safe drinking water. Fresh from participating with Salt Lake City Corporation in the “Utah Quality Award” process, DPU was ready to take advantage of AWWA’s newly established program that is intended to foster excellence within the water industry.

QualServe is a voluntary program that assists water utilities in enhancing performance and customer satisfaction. AWWA water utility professionals developed the program specifically for water utilities to be applicable to their day-to-day work activities.  Through self-assessment, peer review, benchmarking and other assessment tools, fifteen important business processes are examined, which include planning and financing, operations, maintenance and customer relations areas.

The QualServe process begins with a self-assessment survey taken by a cross section of employees from each work group within the utility, and is concluded with an on-site Peer Review Team making an assessment and preparing a final Peer Review Report for the utility. The report is a road map for implementing opportunities for improvement.

Originally, the AWWA QualServe program was geared only for water utilities, but has now been revised with input from the Water Environment Federation to include both water and wastewater utilities.

The self-assessment survey was conducted during the week of October 19, 1997 with 97 employees taking the survey. A self-assessment report was prepared by AWWA and provided the Peer Review Team a basis for their review. The four-member review team was assembled from Irvine, California; Dallas, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts and Columbus, Georgia. Following an intense 3-day peer review, a final report was issued on November 18, 1997.  The report outlined both strengths and opportunities for improvement.

DPU Strengths:

  • DPU has an experienced, knowledgeable work force.
  • DPU has demonstrated a commitment to protect and maintain a pristine environment in the City’s watersheds.
  • DPU has taken a visionary approach in identifying and planning for long-range needs and challenges.

DPU Opportunities for Improvement:

  • DPU needs to become competitive with similar utilities by establishing better communications with its employees, teams, inter-departmentally and with its customers.
  • DPU needs to provide additional training to its employees.
  • DPU needs to improve its information systems.
  • DPU needs to update its policies and procedures and provide employees better access to them.

Over the past year DPU has developed programs to address the opportunities for improvement. According to Linda Jennings, Quality Coordinator, “We have been focusing on training programs. In surveying employees, training tops the list of things they want to improve their career opportunities.” Focus group meetings with supervisory employees and employees hoping to move up the ladder have been the basis for developing training curriculum.  “It’s acknowledged that in order to compete, DPU’s employees must have the tools and skills to provide world class services.” adds Ms. Jennings, “and training is essential to our future success.”  Training is provided through various professional organizations, the AWWA Management Institute through the University of Utah and accredited institution with tuition aid reimbursement to the employees.

Three DPU employees have been trained as AWWA Peer Review members, and their time has been committed to AWWA’s effort to improve water and wastewater utilities in the United States, Mexico and Canada.  Not only is this training helpful to other utilities, but can also be applied to improving DPU’s quality programs.

LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr., DPU Director, is committed to Total Quality and the goals of the AWWA QualServe and Partnership programs. Mr. Hooton said, “Over the past years under the quality movement, I have seen enormous improvement, especially in drinking water quality and customer satisfaction.  The data supports this conclusion.”  He adds, “However, despite measured successes, we have a long way to go before we can be truly satisfied with our efforts -- continuous improvement only keeps us even with the fast changing demands for efficiency, quality services and products and customer satisfaction.”

Questions regarding this article may be directed to Linda Jennings, at 801-483-6765 or e-mail: linda.jennings@ci.slc.ut.us