AWWA ACE56302

Utility participant feedback and findings from a consortium-based benchmarking project on energy management (sponsored by AWWARF) are presented in this paper and identify useful and practical ways to identify and share leading practices. Participant experiences with other benchmarking efforts are also compared, as well as other approaches for consortium-based benchmarking. A review of approaches for metric, process, and practices benchmarking identifys appropriate use of each approach and combined approaches. Specifics of a consortium-based benchmarking methodology are presented. The benchmarking methodology compares and contrasts various ways to: initiate a benchmarking study and solicit subscribers; focus the study topic to the water industry sector and apply the same study topic to benchmark other market sectors; develop and administer a survey instrument and analyze the survey findings; identify and engage benchmarking partners, especially outside the water industry; and, select and document case studies or examples of leading practices. The paper discusses when and how to best take advantage of consortium-based benchmarking to fit a utility's business needs. Ways to analyze business and operations practices with supporting metrics are given. Practical approaches and proven results demonstrate the benefits that utility participants receive from consortium-based benchmarking. Includes 2 references, figures.