scope:

Introduction

Bookstores contain rows of academic treatises, quick-study manuals, and discourses on management, motivation, leadership, and a host of other topics. Their shelves are full of books on leadership and management that may not fit the water utility industry. Various authors write that management is either an art or a science or both, and some infer that it is neither.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) publishes Manual M5, Water Utility Management, because utility managers are in a challenging profession, and managerial leadership is key to successful utility operations. Utility managers guide organizations that fulfill a need essential to the public health of the communities they serve. Utility managers are responsible for environmental quality and qualityof- life issues in their communities. These managers face continuing demands to provide excellent service to customers, and what they provide is compared with the types of customer services offered by nonutility businesses and industries. Utility managers are expected to perform their tasks within budgets based on generated revenues that are difficult to increase. Utility managers are asked to ensure the lifeblood of communities that often do not know or understand the value of the water they receive.

AWWA is uniquely positioned to share managerial experience and knowledge from and among its members. This manual provides a ready reference for water utility management and leadership. The manual contains information to help improve the managerial skills described in Table 1-1.

Throughout this manual, several terms are repeated:

• vision-a clear understanding by managers of where a utility is going and what it should be

• mission-what the utility is and what its purpose is

• objectives-the goals set to maintain the mission and achieve the vision

• goals-the specific responsibilities of individuals and work teams that contribute to achieving one or more objectives