Thriving Community-Connected Assets
This forum was developed from the perceived need by our members within Goulburn Murray Water and Jacobs to develop and promote a forum that focused on Asset Management in the region and between the various organisations within our area. From that initial discussion, Marc Lon-Ho-Kee and Sam Green of Goulburn Murray Water, Kylee Dewis of Jacobs and Lloyd Payne continued to work with the idea and out of that this forum has been developed.
Organisations face many similar challenges in managing large asset networks due to an ageing infrastructure coupled with an increasing need for a high level of compliance. We are all prioritising asset solutions under continual financial pressure to minimise costs whilst providing an acceptable level of service. The performance of some assets e.g. pipe networks, roads, culverts, drainage schemes, channel crossings are under the jurisdiction of more than one owner and a cooperative approach to manage and maintain those assets provides significant advantages beyond a local organisation to regional benefits. Working together as irrigation organisations, urban water authorities, councils, shires and road authorities provides the right framework towards a sustainable community. This approach requires leadership, cooperation, strong stakeholder communication and engagement and a commitment to follow through by asset owners at a local and state government level. The objective of the forum was to share successes and challenges in asset management within the Goulburn Valley region and look for opportunities for further collaboration.
Andrea Pogue of Goulburn Murray Water was the facilitator for the day.
The morning session, consisted of 7 x 20 minute presentations.
Session 1 presented by David Lynch of Jacobs regarding the Levels of service to Customers in Asset Management Decisions
Session 2 presented by Emma Dalton of the Shire of Campaspe who explored what role the community play in public infrastructure decisions.
Session 3 presented by Rohan Montgomery of the Greater Shepparton City Council who provided analysis on the adoption of the Assetic Asset Management System
Session 4 presented by Daniel Hughes of Goulburn Valley Water who gave us an in site into some innovation involving Asset Management Projects.
Session 5 presented by Marc Lon o Kee and Sam Green of Goulburn Murray Water who explored the challenges of managing an aging infrastructure.
Session 6 presented by Lloyd Payne of LP Building Consultants who gave us a run down on the Building Compliance Essentials in relation to maintaining buildings.
Session 7 was a message from the sponsor Sika in relation to their products and how they can assist to extend the life of some assets.
The afternoon session consisted of a series of 3 workshops focussing on:
- Asset data collection
- Procurement
- Innovations and ideas for future asset challenges
The main objective of the workshops was to create partnerships within this industry group. As asset managers we have responsibilities in implementing our own asset management practices but by working together at a regional level create greater benefits towards a sustainable community.
Getting together today provides
- an opportunity to learn,
- the ability to exchange ideas around asset management,
- network with colleagues, and
- plan what future events and collaboration might look like.
The day was a tremendous success with over 50 attendees and future networking, cooperation and collaboration between the authorities within the Goulburn Valley area was seen as one of the positive outcomes.