Efficient Management of Water Utilities : Sustainability Analysis of Swedish Performance

Abstract: In Sweden, a sustainability index (SI) has been used since 2014 as an internal benchmark management tool to analyse and steer municipal water and wastewater (WW) activities toward sustainability. A consistent trend in national results from SI across all years is that while day-to-day operations are working well, there are deficiencies in strategies for long-term planning. The nationalresults show that only 2 per cent of the 184 participating water utilities in the 2020 SI results have a good level of performance (green) and meet the requirements for sustainable climate adaptation and flood security, and only 4 per cent of 184 were green and meet the requirements for sustainablestatus of the WW facilities”. Therefore, the present work investigates and focuses on water utilities that demonstrate good ability to improve their long-term sustainability outcomes. The goal of the thesis was to present these utilities as good learning examples to inspire other utilities seeking to improve their outcomes, and to clarify and flesh out the driving factors, strategies,and important explanations for their success, as well as the challenges they face.Four studies were conducted. The first study addressed the project of future water supply in Växjö after 10 years of operation as an evidence-based case study for long-term planning. The second addressed the evaluation of the use of the SI tool through eight case studies. The third study examined in depth 10 selected WW organisations that improved their “climate adaptation and floodsecurity” parameter. The fourth study examined 11 selected organisations that have improved the status of their WW facilities. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews with managers of the organisations were conducted in all four studies. It was found that WW organisations need a complete picture when using their results for discussions with policy makers or for benchmarking. It was also found that the role of the farsightedmanager was important and evident throughout the process, as was the investment in quality and innovative technology; that the current WW fee system does not cover future maintenance costs; and that there is intergenerational inequity due to the current low level of reinvestment. Some unique strategies that had a major impact on the organisations’ success were: the formation of aninterdisciplinary group in two organisations, setting aside 1 per cent of replacement value annually for reinvestment, a quick decision-making process and loose budget, and more specific renewal plans (namely three- to five-year plans). Some of the challenges cited are division of responsibility, economic challenges, and the need to prioritise. Most respondents expressed a desire forreinvestment funds to be established. They also complained about the inadequacies of WW legislation and called for changes. They also stressed the importance of clarifying the division of responsibilities in the legislation.