PALMDALE – The Palmdale Water District (PWD) Board of Directors approved a two-year Strategic Plan that will serve as a blueprint for the Board and staff to execute short-term and long-term goals, the agency announced recently.
“Developing a Strategic Plan is necessary to better serve our customers,” stated newly appointed Board President Vincent Dino. “Positioning PWD as a regional leader and community partner will help us achieve our goals and meet our obligations to the ratepayers.”
In adopting the Strategic Plan and a $23.6 million budget for 2018, the Board emphasized its commitment to maintaining financial stability, increasing reliability of water supply, upkeeping the aging infrastructure, and providing customers with exceptional service.
The Board approved $3 million for the Facilities Department to repair and maintain pipelines, vehicles, equipment, and other related needs.
Staff has planned a preventative maintenance program to decrease the amount of emergency repairs and save PWD money. Other key components in the Strategic Plan include:
- Building of a grade-control structure for the Littlerock Reservoir Sediment Removal Project;
- Continuing work on the next phase of Palmdale Regional Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project; and
- Focusing on the Succession Planning Program to overlap pending retirees and new hires to improve training for key positions.
PWD will be hiring an assistant general manager and a facilities manager this year. The new budget allocates $200,000 for succession planning.
“Our cross-training program is very important to the District as a part of our succession planning,” stated Human Resources Director Jennifer Emery. “Many of PWD’s long-term employees will be retiring over the next few years, and cross-training allows us to transfer their knowledge to the next generation of water utility workers.”
Accomplishments during the past year included the signing of the Record of Decision for the Littlerock Sediment Removal Project to allow for work to begin on increasing the storage capacity of the Littlerock Dam and Reservoir.
Other important achievements in 2017 were the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations onsite at PWD; extension of the water purchase agreement with Butte County; completion of major repairs and maintenance of the wind turbine; repairing 97 main line leaks and 79 service line leaks; and preliminary testing of Phase II for the Palmdale Regional Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project.
The six initiatives of the 2018 Strategic Plan are:
- Water resource reliability;
- Organizational excellence;
- Systems efficiency;
- Financial health and stability;
- Regional leadership; and
- Customer care, advocacy and outreach.
For more information about PWD, visit www.palmdalewater.org.
[Information via news release from Palmdale Water District.]
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AV supporter says
So I guess I can see an increase on my water bill now