ISO 24523:2017 pdf download – Service activities relating to drinking water supply systems and wastewater systems — Guidelines for benchmarking of water utilities.
3.16 process set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an intended result Note 1 to entry: In benchmarking (3.3), organizational and technical processes and combinations of both of them are considered. A process within the meaning of benchmarking comprises a combination of one task with one plant/one object (e.g. operate sewer network, treat wastewater, treat water, provide domestic connection, further train staff, purchase material). 3.17 reference parameter data variable (3.8) used in the denominator of a performance indicator (3.13) Note 1 to entry: The reference parameter is aligned with the specific benchmarking object (3.4) described by the specific performance indicator [e.g. treated (waste) water quantity, influent loading, influent or connected inhabitants plus population equivalents]. Note 2 to entry: In case of benchmarking (3.3) of the whole drinking water or wastewater service, the denominator should represent one dimension of the system (e.g. number of service connections, total water main length, annual costs). This allows for comparisons through time, or between systems. 4 Benchmarking — Objectives, work steps and characteristics 4.1 Objectives The primary objectives of benchmarking lie in determining improvement potential and working out and implementing realisable actions to improve performance. The comparison of specific organizational units can either be done internally within the water utility or externally with other water utilities or any other organization/s. External comparisons can facilitate mutual improvement and best practice exchange. Potential consequential objectives can include communication with stakeholders (see also Clause 5). Public or private water utilities, utility sectors, functions, processes or tasks with clearly defined start and finish boundaries (e.g. new construction of pipelines, maintenance measures, replacement of meters for customers, meter reading and accounting for consumption, quality control) can be examined. Benchmarking objects should be completely defined by the determination of all data variables and performance indicators necessary for their accurate comparison across benchmarking partners. The systematic identification of influenceable causes for existing differences is the focus of benchmarking. Benchmarking extends beyond performance assessment (see ISO 24510:2007, Clause 7). It delves into identification and implementation of best practices. The first information on this is supplied by the performance indicator comparison, which flows into a cause analysis (see Figure 1). In non-branch-specific areas (e.g. logistics, material management), companies outside drinking water and wastewater services can also be taken into consideration as benchmarking partners. Benchmarking projects can be differentiated according to the type of benchmarking object and the level of detail, e.g. benchmarking at process level or benchmarking at utility level. 4.2 Performance assessment and performance improvement Benchmarking consists of two basic consecutive elements: performance assessment and performance improvement. Performance assessment as a process should be managed to achieve a clear and precise purpose and refer to the objectives of a wastewater or drinking water utility (see ISO 24511:2007, 7.1 and ISO 24512:2007, 7.1). The fulfilment of the objectives and the degree of success of the actions can be measured by means of performance indicators (for example, performance indicators are employed for the assessment of performance within the water utility and/or in comparison with other benchmarking partners).
ISO 24523:2017 pdf download – Service activities relating to drinking water supply systems and wastewater systems — Guidelines for benchmarking of water utilities
