Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
You are invited to participate in a workshop about the sustainable management of rural and small utilities
for Water and Wastewater systems. This particular workshop will focus on Wastewater systems but can
benefit both Wastewater and Water utilities. Positions that may find this training beneficial include
Management, Administration and Finance/Billing personnel.
At the workshop, you will conduct a guided self assessment of your system and identify areas for
improvement that are critical to success at your utility. This self assessment will help you prioritize actions
when resources are limited. You will also learn from other utilities that have faced similar challenges.
This 6-hour interactive workshop will focus on ten key management areas of effectively managed utilities,
which make up a framework for a complete and well-rounded management approach. By making
operational improvements in any of these areas, your utility will be able to deliver increasingly efficient,
higher quality services to your community.
Please see the attached Registration Form.
If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact our office at 808-495-0264 or e-mail at
[email protected].
We look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Mahana Gomes
Mahana Gomes
Executive Director
Hawai‘i Rural Water Association
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
Registration Form
The Hawai’i Rural Water Association is holding a workshop designed for Wastewater personnel involved with
Management, Finance and Administration, to conduct a guided self assessment of your system, but can benefit
both Wastewater and Water utilities. Possible areas for improvement will be identified that could be critical to
the success of your utility. This interactive workshop will focus on ten key management areas of effectively
managed utilities, making up a framework for a complete and well-rounded management approach.




Give you a simple and objective way to evaluate
your system’s strengths and areas for
improvement
Help you develop an easy to follow plan for
improving your operations based on your
assessment
Help you better communicate internally and with
board members and customers about your
system and challenges
Help build the necessary support for improving
your system over time
10 Key Management Areas:
 Product Quality
 Customer Satisfaction
 Employee & Leadership Development
 Operational Optimization
 Financial Viability
 Infrastructure Stability
 Operational Resiliency
 Community Sustainability & Economic Development
 Water Resource Adequacy
 Stakeholder Understanding & Support
Registration forms must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to
the class. Please complete Registration form on Page 2.
Date / Island
Time
Address
January 20, Tuesday
Kauai
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
EOC Civil Defense
3990 Kaana Street, Suite 100
Lihue, Kauai, Hawai’i
January 22, Thursday
Maui
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Maui Country Club
South Ballroom
48 Nonohe Street
Spreckelsville, Maui, Hawai’i 96779
January 27, Tuesday
West Hawaii
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
NELHA
Hawaii Gateway Energy Center
73-4485 Kahilihili Street
Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawai‘i
Email Registration to: [email protected]
Mail registration to:
Hawai'i Rural Water Association 1325 S. Kihei Rd., Suite 200 Kihei, HI 96753
Contact our office at 808-495-0264 or [email protected] for further information.
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
Please complete this page of the Registration form and return to the
Hawai‘i Rural Water Association by a method listed below.
There is no cost for this training.
Select Location
Kauai
Maui
West Hawaii
Primary Contact Name __________________________________Company Name______________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________________
City ________________________________ State __________ Zip ___________
County________________________ Telephone ________________________________________
Position__________________________________ E-mail _________________________________________
If the Primary Contact is attending, please list yourself below with other attendees.
Name of Attendee
Position
Water or Wastewater
(circle one)
1.
Water or WW
2.
Water or WW
3.
Water or WW
4.
Water or WW
5.
Water or WW
Email Registration to: [email protected]
Mail registration to:
Hawai'i Rural Water Association 1325 S. Kihei Rd., Suite 200 Kihei, HI 96753
Contact our office at 808-495-0264 or [email protected] for further information.
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
AGENDA
MAUI 8 AM - 3 PM
Time
Session
07:30
Sign-in/Registration (30 minutes)
08:00
Introductions and Workshop Objectives (15 minutes)
08:15
Session 1: Overview of Key Management Areas – Presentation (30 minutes)
•
•
08:45
Presentation of Key Management Areas
Group Discussion: Other Important Management Areas for Sustainability
Session 2: Utility ‘Self Assessment’ Exercise (55 minutes)
•
•
•
Explain “Sustainable Management Self Assessment” (5 minutes)
Participants Conduct Self Assessment (25 minutes)
o
Rate utility achievements and rank management priorities
o
Plot results: achievements vs. priorities
Table Discussion Among Participants About Results (25 minutes)
o
Where is your utility strong? Why?
o
Where is there the most room for improvement? Why?
o
What are your areas of focus?
 Why are they a priority?
 Why is performance low?
• Technical capacity?
• Financial capacity?
• Managerial capacity?
o
What are the commonalities and differences among table participants’ achievements,
priorities, and challenges?
09:40
Break (5 minutes)
09:45
Session 3: Plenary Discussion – Self Assessment Results (1 hour)
•
•
10:45
Tables Report Out (30 minutes)
Synthesize Results (30 minutes)
Lunch ( 1 hour)
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
AGENDA
MAUI 8 AM - 3 PM
(Continued)
11:45
Session 4: Table Exercise – Improving Outcomes (45 minutes)
•
•
12:30
Each table completes an improvement worksheet for one low achievement/high priority management
area.
Discussion Questions:
o
What will constitute “high achievement” in this management area?
o
What changes will the utility need to make to improve performance?
o
How could you track your performance progress?
o
What will be the biggest challenges to performance improvement?
Session 5a: Plenary Discussion – Practices, Tools, and Measures: Results (30 minutes)
•
Tables Report Out
•
General Discussion of Findings
01:00
Break (15 minutes)
01:15
Session 5b: Plenary Discussion – Practices: Results (1 hour and 15 minutes)
•
•
•
•
•
02:30
Session 6: Feedback Session (30 minutes)
•
•
03:00
Synthesis of Table Discussion Results
Local Assistance Available in Key Management Areas
Presentation of Additional Tips, Tools, and Measurement (prepared before the workshop during the
“Prepare Meeting Materials” phase)
Reflections: Key Lessons Learned and Near Term Steps
Discuss Utility Management Improvement Plan
Participants Complete Workshop Evaluation Form
o
Are these the right management areas, and how to improve?
o
Is self assessment useful, and how to improve?
o
Are tools and tips useful, and how to improve?
o
Are measures useful, and how to improve?
o
Overall rating of format, flow, presenters, etc.
Collect Evaluation Forms
Adjourn
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
AGENDA
KAUAI / WEST HAWAII 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Time
Session
09:00
Sign-in/Registration (30 minutes)
09:30
Introductions and Workshop Objectives (15 minutes)
09:45
Session 1: Overview of Key Management Areas – Presentation (30 minutes)
•
•
10:15
Presentation of Key Management Areas
Group Discussion: Other Important Management Areas for Sustainability
Session 2: Utility ‘Self Assessment’ Exercise (55 minutes)
•
•
•
Explain “Sustainable Management Self Assessment” (5 minutes)
Participants Conduct Self Assessment (25 minutes)
o
Rate utility achievements and rank management priorities
o
Plot results: achievements vs. priorities
Table Discussion Among Participants About Results (25 minutes)
o
Where is your utility strong? Why?
o
Where is there the most room for improvement? Why?
o
What are your areas of focus?
 Why are they a priority?
 Why is performance low?
• Technical capacity?
• Financial capacity?
• Managerial capacity?
o
What are the commonalities and differences among table participants’ achievements,
priorities, and challenges?
11:10
Break (5 minutes)
11:15
Session 3: Plenary Discussion – Self Assessment Results (1 hour)
•
•
12:15
Tables Report Out (30 minutes)
Synthesize Results (30 minutes)
Lunch ( 1 hour)
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net
Sustainable Management of Rural
and Small Systems Workshop
AGENDA
KAUAI / WEST HAWAII 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
(Continued)
01:15
Session 4: Table Exercise – Improving Outcomes (45 minutes)
•
•
02:00
Each table completes an improvement worksheet for one low achievement/high priority management
area.
Discussion Questions:
o
What will constitute “high achievement” in this management area?
o
What changes will the utility need to make to improve performance?
o
How could you track your performance progress?
o
What will be the biggest challenges to performance improvement?
Session 5a: Plenary Discussion – Practices, Tools, and Measures: Results (30 minutes)
•
Tables Report Out
•
General Discussion of Findings
02:30
Break (15 minutes)
02:45
Session 5b: Plenary Discussion – Practices: Results (1 hour and 15 minutes)
•
•
•
•
•
04:00
Session 6: Feedback Session (30 minutes)
•
•
04:30
Synthesis of Table Discussion Results
Local Assistance Available in Key Management Areas
Presentation of Additional Tips, Tools, and Measurement (prepared before the workshop during the
“Prepare Meeting Materials” phase)
Reflections: Key Lessons Learned and Near Term Steps
Discuss Utility Management Improvement Plan
Participants Complete Workshop Evaluation Form
o
Are these the right management areas, and how to improve?
o
Is self assessment useful, and how to improve?
o
Are tools and tips useful, and how to improve?
o
Are measures useful, and how to improve?
o
Overall rating of format, flow, presenters, etc.
Collect Evaluation Forms
Adjourn
Hawai'i Rural Water Association
www.hrwa.net