The Public Sector Digest (PSD) and the Canadian Water Network (CWN) have begun research on what asset management data is collected by municipal governments in Canada and how it is used to improve infrastructure planning outcomes and approach full cost recovery for water, wastewater and stormwater assets. This applied research project aims to identify best practices in infrastructure data collection, maintenance, and utilization as part of a holistic and resilient asset management program.

Through innovative and standardized approaches to condition assessment, leading municipalities are able to leverage accurate condition data for optimal asset management decision-making. Combined with accurate asset replacement costs and risks assessments, good data empowers municipalities to do the right thing, to the right asset, at the right time, reducing costs and allowing cities to “size” their infrastructure appropriately.

While roads and bridges tend to have more established standards and best practices to assist with data collection and optimization, water, wastewater and stormwater assets lack the same level of standardization in Canada when it comes to strong condition assessment and asset management practices. Therefore, this project will focus on these asset categories in particular, contributing to the advancement of water, wastewater and stormwater asset management in Canada.    

OBJECTIVE