scope:

INTRODUCTION

About this Technical Guide

Utility owners and operators strive for continuous improvement of their water systems and the development of their staff. This ensures that they are able to meet and exceed users' needs, are cost efficient and effective in the use of resources to ensure sustainability, and are meeting the applicable environmental and health regulations.

Three international standards have been developed to guide utilities in setting and meeting objectives towards improving their operations. These are being adopted as National Standards of Canada in 2009:

• CAN/CSA-Z24510, Activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services - Guidelines for the assessment and for the improvement of the service to users

• CAN/CSA-Z24511, Activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services - Guidelines for the management of wastewater utilities and for the assessment of wastewater services

• CAN/CSA-Z24512, Activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services - Guidelines for the management of drinking water utilities and for the assessment of drinking water services

This Technical Guide was developed to assist utility owners and operators in the use of the CAN/CSA-ISO standards. It offers a consistent and standardized means of continuously improving their utility's effectiveness using performance indicators. As stated by wellknown management guru, Peter Drucker, "you cannot improve what you do not measure."

This Guide also builds on existing quality standards published by ISO and CSA that incorporate the fundamental principle of "plan-do-check-act" (PDCA) as shown in the following diagram. The methodology is consistent with and supportive of ISO's management system standards. Implementing an overall ISO 9001 and 14001 management system can help a utility implement the CAN/CSA-Z24510, Z24511 and Z24512 standards. At the same time, these standards may help to achieve the technical requirements of CAN/CSA-ISO 9001 and 14001 for organizations choosing to implement them.

CAN/CSA-ISO 9001¹ notes that an organization must establish, document, implement, and maintain a quality management system and continuously improve its effectiveness. It recommends the continuous improvement 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' methodology. The O'Connor Report² on Walkerton also recognized the importance of good utility management. In Part 2 of his report Mr. Justice Dennis O'Connor said, "Perhaps the most significant recommendations in this report address the need for quality management through mandatory accreditation and operational planning. Sound management and operating systems help prevent, not simply react to, the contamination of drinking water. In this vein, I recommend requiring all operating agencies to become accredited in accordance with a quality management standard". As a result of the O'Connor Inquiry, the Province of Ontario enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act and its regulations, along with standards that require accreditation of laboratories that analyze regulatory water samples, and drinking water system operating authorities.

1. ISO 9001 Quality management systems- Requirements: 2008

2. Part Two Report of the Walkerton Inquiry: A Strategy for Safe Drinking Water - The Honourable Dennis R. O'Connor: May 2002