The Goleta Sanitary District has been able to consistently maintain low sewer service fees by operating and maintaining its infrastructure in an efficient and cost-effective manner while delivering exceptional levels of service. As critical assets and equipment age, the District implements timely repair or replacement based on a comprehensive asset management program (AMP). The goal of the AMP is to maximize the useful life of individual assets and reduce their overall lifecycle cost.

To implement an effective AMP, the District developed a detailed inventory of thousands of individual assets. Each asset was categorized, and its replacement cost, age, and condition were considered to determine when it would likely require maintenance, repair or replacement. This information is used to prioritize and schedule needed repairs and forecast ongoing investment needs.

In this age of decreasing budgets, the District’s AMP helps maximize the return on investment and supports sound, defensible, data-backed decisions that find the right balance between funding immediate needs and maintaining reserves for long-term capital expenditures.

The Story of an Innovative Approach to Asset Management Planning

The District worked with consultants, the consulting firm Hazen and Sawyer, to develop the best plan forward to manage all of the District's assets. This means that all of the buildings, pipes, machinery, equipment, and other items of value are evaluated to determine their lifespan and to identify and prioritize high-need areas so we can plan for their eventual replacement. In April 2023, the District's then-Collection System Manager, Luis Astorga, and representatives from Hazen and Sawyer gave a presentation to members of the California Water Environment Association's detailing the innovative process developed to plan for the District's future. The strategic planning approach is data-driven and is guiding all decision-making for the projects and plans. Innovative computer models weigh projects on a variety of measures, including long-term energy self-sufficiency, a cost/benefit analysis, and practicality for our District. To learn more about the Asset Management Plan, click on the link below.

GSD_The Story of an Innovative Approach to Asset Management Planning