Conclusions

Continuous Improvement

From the middle of 2005 Kachina Village Improvement District (KVID) implemented a continuous improvement program. The strategy focused the efforts of the staff on observing and identifying potential efficiency improvements in all areas of operation and management. This was accomplished via a focused high performance organization (HPO¹) strategy and by the training and education of its staff.

The training and education effort proved to be fruitful as the staff has come to understand the benefits and the various aspects of this improvement strategy and the process of making advantageous changes. Many process improvement projects, including the SCADA implementation, process and method changes, and performance measures have been successfully completed since 2005.

As a result the utility is financially robust and continues to reduce expenses thereby providing capital for investment in additional cost saving and revenue generating projects. The resident’s money is helping the community reduce costs and increase efficiencies every day.

Between the middle of 2005 and the date of this report KVID continued its search for process improvement opportunities. The program consisted of the approach summarized below:

The five step approach to process and efficiency improvements;

1. Analysis & Evaluation,
2. Opportunity identification,
3. Project selection,
4. Procurement, and
5. Implementation.

All of the previously described projects lead to the final implementation of the fine bubble diffuser system. This path was identified five years in advance and the strategic plan coupled with the 30 year asset replacement plan enable the utility to make these improvements. Information from the SCADA was compiled in addition to a thorough inventory of the water and wastewater system electric driven equipment (pumps, blowers, and other loads greater than one horsepower). A comparison of the power consumption numbers and the cost-benefit analysis indicated there would be a substantial efficiency improvement opportunity in addressing the wastewater aeration.

At the time this article was written four DO probes have been installed and the fine bubble manifolding was constructed to control the flow of air independently into the east and west basins. The air manifolding in each basin is zoned into four partitions to allow custom control configurations. Large energy reductions have been achieved and more are to be developed along with custom PID control algorithms which will enable the utility to experiment with processes to seek out additional improvements in efficiency and reclaimed water quality.

Lessons Learned

Continuous improvement is just that, a continuous process. It does not happen overnight. The utility developed the following skills within the organization which lead to the final delivery of the efficiency gains. The following is a list of those skills and activities;

• Problem Solving Skills,
• Basic Change & Change Management Skills,
• Preparing the Organization for Change,
• Basic Business Processes including Best Value contracting, and
• Project Management.

The learning organization never stops learning. Once it stops it is no longer a learning organization. The final paragraph under the conclusions section of this document indicates that KVID is not finished learning from it’s wastewater treatment plant. More secrets will be ferreted out and additional efficiencies will be implemented.

1 - HPO is a story for another time.