Laith Alfagih, Stantec, Douglas Dietzel, City ofLorain, Water Utilities Dept.

The Lorain Utilities Department (LUD) transformed its approach to water and wastewater services with a focus on asset management (AM). They developed a Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) to optimize infrastructure lifespan and performance. The SAMP includes factors like Level of Service (LOS) balancing cost and service standards, data governance for informed decisions, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress. LUD also implemented Cityworks software to automate tasks, improve resource allocation, and enhance decision-making through real-time data. These efforts have resulted in benefits like increased system reliability, reduced costs, and improved customer service. LUD's AM approach serves as a model for building resilient water infrastructure.