“I like what you guys are doing, it’s boots on the ground and it’s getting things done and you’re going to benefit the utilities,” Jim McGoff, Director of Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) said to Dr. Tom Iseley and Wei Liao, right before he agreed to provide $650K to fund BAMI-I’s efforts on developing an Asset Management Plan (AMP) for Switz City, Indiana.

The project to develop an Asset Management Plan (AMP) for Switz City, Indiana, began in January 2023. Purdue Underground Infrastructure Team (UIT), Ziptility, BFU, and BAMI-I have volunteered to collaborate on creating the AMP for Switz City since then. This initiative aims to explore ways to support the implementation of Indiana state laws. As the project progressed, numerous companies and individuals joined the effort. They are:

• Alliance of Indiana Rural Water (AIRW)
• Purdue UIT / BAMI-I
• George Kurz Independent I&I Consultant
• Ziptility
• BFU
• Utility Inspection Services
• Smart-View
• InfoSense
• 4M Analytics

With Adam Hershberger transitioning from Ziptility to AIRW, the main parties of the project are now BAMI-I and AIRW. All parties involved in this project continue to support it in various ways.

The project is estimated to cost $650,000, which the state has agreed to fund. This is the first phase of the entire program. The ultimate program goal is to set the Efficient and Practical Asset Management Model for Utilities across Indiana State and the asset management industry in the United States. With the strong support from IFA,  BAMI-I team will lead the efforts to achieve this goal.

The impetus behind the project is to help water utilities comply with Indiana’s new regulation, Indiana Senate Bill 272 (2022), which requires that after July 1, 2023, all water utilities whose project funding applications for infrastructure improvements are approved by the IFA must have an approved AMP.

BackgroundBackgroundWhy is this project important to water industries especially in rural areas? 

Drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is subject to wear and tear over time, eventually reaching a point of failure. This deterioration leads to increased emergencies, which are often more costly to address than preventative measures.

To maintain reliable service delivery, including consistent water supply and efficient wastewater treatment, utilities must prioritize proactive management. A comprehensive risk-based asset management program is essential for achieving this goal.

Indiana Senate Bill 272 (2022)

Indiana has established itself as one of the leaders in water-related developments through a series of strategic initiatives and legislative actions. Key milestones include the 2015 evaluation of water utility planning, the 2016 requirement for water audits, and significant reports on financial needs for stormwater infrastructure and wastewater monitoring programs. The state further demonstrated its commitment with the 2019 publication of the Asset Management Program guidelines and the 2021 guidelines for the State Revolving Fund Loan Program. The signing of ISB 272 in March 2022 marks a significant step, positioning Indiana as a leader in water asset management. The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) has been designated to oversee these efforts.

Small water utilities are facing challenges.

Small water utilities face numerous challenges in developing Asset Management Plans (AMP), including limited funding and human resources, difficulties in data collection and management, lack of professional knowledge and technical skills, complex regulatory compliance requirements, aging infrastructure, insufficient community support and awareness, and limited external support.

 Project Team and Collaboration

The project is a collaborative effort between BAMI-I, the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water, and Purdue UIT. The team will leverage the expertise and resources of these organizations to develop and implement the AMP for Switz City. Purdue University will provide technical and administrative support through its Underground Infrastructure Team (UIT), involving graduate students in practical learning experiences.

Background

BAMI-I was invited to conduct presentation sessions at Alliance’s annual conferences on september, 2022. Through this initiative BAMI-I was introduced to Ziptility and Bynum Fanyo Utilities (BFU). It was decided by all 3 parties to volunteer their efforts to develop an AMP in accordance with the IFA Guidelines. The motivation for this initiative was to learn the details of what it takes to develop an AMP utilizing these guidelines. In January 2023, the Town of Switz City enthusiastically agreed to allow us to develop an AMP for their drinking water and wastewater systems. The agreement with Switz City was with BAMI-I, and Alliance became a cooperative partner.

An Underground Infrastructure Team (UIT) was formed in the College of Engineering at Purdue University in the Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) program. Purdue provides technical and administrative support to BAMI-I through the UIT. During the Fall of 2023, a graduate-level course was taught on Asset Management of Underground Infrastructure with 22 students. The students were divided into 5 teams, with each assigned to develop an AMP in accordance with the IFA Guidelines. The UIT took the 5 AMPs and merged sections with what had been accumulated and produced what was referred to as the Interim AMP plan for Switz City. It was referred to as “Interim” because the development team had no pipeline condition assessment (PCA) data which means all recommendations had to be very conservative until real PCA data could be acquired.

In the interimpPlan, we got data from the below sources:

Ziptility, the software used by Switz City, provides asset data and preliminary condition assessments, laying the groundwork for an informed and strategic approach to asset management in Switz City. This work was primarily done by Adam Hershberger, who is now an EPA Water Specialist with the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water. He also helped collect general and operational information.

George Kurz conducted an in-depth Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) analysis based on the operational data. His work involved using this data to assess the extent and impact of I/I on Switz City’s wastewater system.

BFU, contracted with Switz City for operations, provided utility system diagrams, operation management practices, and strategies for reducing energy consumption.

During the spring semester of 2024, a graduate-level course on Pipeline Condition Assessment and Integrity Management is being taught where the students are taking the Interim AMP for Switz City an integrating the following 3 data sources:

_ACCOUSTIC: An Alliance representative teamed with an InfoSense representative to conduct a PCA program on about 90% of the sewer collection system utilizing advanced acoustic technology known as SL-RAT (Sewer Line-Rapid Assessment Technology). This technology produces a wide range of mapping and condition data, which detects how unobstructed the pipeline is by rating it 0-10 and generating a GIS map with color-coded lines based on how much blockage exists in the lines. For example, a “0” indicates no acoustic signal could travel through the pipe, indicating 100% blockage. It would be color-coded RED. A “10” would indicate the barrel of the pipe is fully open allowing maximum acoustic signal to pass and would be color coded as GREEN. YELLOW would indicate lines with partial blockage.
_CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISING (CCTV): Utility Inspection Services (UIS) from Knoxville, TN dispatched a 2-person team with their advanced CCTV mobile unit to work with Alliance representative and the Purdue UIT/BAMI-I representatives to internally inspect lines indicating blockage from 0-6. In addition, the manholes were inspected, and a service was inspected with a special lateral launch CCTV technology.
_4M ANALYTICS: This is the first application of this technology in Indiana. It uses satellite imaging technology coupled with AI (Artificial Intelligence) to develop comprehensive location of utility assets.

Lessons Learned:

• To develop a comprehensive risk-based AMP in accordance is the IFA Guidelines is demanding even for a small utility like Switz City with less than a population of 300. However, they have a fully operating WWTP with a NPDES permit, a sewer collection system with 4 pumping stations and a water distribution system with an elevated storage tank. This represents a lot of assets, and most are buried.

• The IFA Guidelines are excellent and need to be applied to the fullest extent possible without trying to take short cuts or short circuit certain hard obtain steps. This includes to the best job possible on developing the 3 scenarios which project rates and tasks needed for 20 years.
• It is essential to work closely with the major stakeholders to educate them how this AMP is to be a living document to establish the future business practices. This needs to start with emphasizing the core values and benefits of the AMP.
• It is essential to have a comprehensive strategy for developing AMPs which meet the IFA Guidelines as cost effectively as possible.

Proposal of a Three-Phase Plan and Commitment of IFA Support

Based on the work that has been done, the BAMI-I team proposed a comprehensive Sewer System Evaluation Survey (SSES) and an in-depth investigation of the water system. Their recommendation aimed to collect extensive data to develop a top-tier Asset Management Plan that could be used as a model for smaller utilities. Additionally, they envisioned the small town becoming a living lab, where new innovations could be tested and monitored over time once the plan was properly implemented.

They developed the three-phase plan and presented it to the IFA to secure funding for the subsequent stages. Following the presentation to the IFA, Jim, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, appreciated BAMI-I’s practical approach and its direct benefits to utilities.

PHASE 1: DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE AMP FOR SWITZ CITY AND MODEL CREATION (1 year)
In this phase, the program team will Further develop a comprehensive Asset Management Plan (AMP) for Switz City. $250K of the $650K funding will be allocated for this part. Specific actions will include enhancing the asset management plan’s inventory, implementing cost-effective PCA, and creating detailed financial forecasts based on actual data.
Address the urgent needs of Switz City $400K of the $650K funding will be allocated for urgent asset upgrades needed in Switz City based on the work that has been done. Below are some proposed actions:
• Address fixing the I&I sources,
• Perform necessary repairs and upgrades at the WWTP and pump stations,
• Replace all water meters.
• Other

PHASE 2: EXPERIMENTAL PROMOTION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (1-2 YEARS）

This phase will continue to assist in the implementation and management of the Switz City AMP. It will involve developing training materials and selecting 10-15 utilities of various sizes to develop asset management programs and provide training, outreach, and technical assistance. The information collected from this group of utilities should be used for the Manual of Practices (MOP).

PHASE 3: EXTENSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF MODEL, ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE-WIDE ASSET MANAGEMENT DATABASE AND LIVING LAB (LONG TERM)

Ultimate program Objective:
1. To get the water assets in Switz City in acceptable operating conditions to serve as a “Living Lab” for assisting small utilities. This Living Lab will serve as a host for validating innovative solutions.
2. A manual of practice (MOP) will be developed to establish tools, templates, and procedures for developing and implementing AMPs in Indiana.
3. Training, education, workforce development, professional development, etc. these will utilize established programs and resources to the maximum extent possible. It will take the existing BAMI-I CTAM program and update it to specifically teach the principles and practices of AM related to how to develop an AMP which we learned from this program.
The first phase will last until July 2025. BAMI-I has already initiated the project in the past month and has brought in more partners to ensure the project’s goals are successfully achieved.

About IFA
The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) is a state agency dedicated to overseeing and managing financial resources and programs to support public and private infrastructure projects across Indiana. Its primary mission is to provide innovative and cost-effective financing solutions that enhance the quality of life for Indiana residents. The IFA administers a variety of programs, including those related to water quality, economic development, and public-private partnerships, ensuring sustainable growth and development within the state. By leveraging financial expertise and resources, the IFA plays a crucial role in facilitating essential infrastructure improvements and fostering economic vitality in Indiana.
About BAMI-I
The Buried Asset Management Institute – International (BAMI-I) is a non-profit corporation whose main purpose is to educate and assist those who have an interest in applying best-buried asset management practices to extend the life and efficiency of their assets. Although BAMI-I has been mainly focused on water and wastewater systems, the principles of asset management apply to all different types of buried assets including for instance gas distribution pipes, and electric cables.

BAMI-I’s mission is to provide a center of excellence for owners of underground infrastructure to join with industry and researchers, using sound science, to evaluate and /or develop buried asset management protocols for application worldwide to benefit ratepayers and other stakeholders by:
• _Protecting public health
• _Maximizing asset life-cycle value
• _Improving the environment
• _Sustaining economic development
• _Enhancing the quality of life

About AIRW
The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water (AIRW) is a non-profit membership association of over 1,000 water and wastewater systems and related professionals. AIRW is Indiana’s only representative to the National Rural Water Association. NRWA is the nation’s largest utility association with 31,000 members.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The organizations have donated their time, efforts and technology to the Switz City AMP development programs:
• _Alliance of Indiana Rural Water
• _Purdue UIT / BAMI-I
• _George Kurz Independent I&I Consultant
• _Ziptility
• _BFU
• _Utility Inspection Services
• _Smart-View
• _InfoSense
• _4M Analytics

These organizations agreed to participate at no cost because they believe in the goal established with the Town Council of Switz City at our first meeting in January 2023. The goal was to develop a comprehensive risk-based AMP for water and wastewater which will serve as a living document to guide the program decisions on operations and maintenance, rehabilitation/replacement approaches, and funding strategies.

Conclusion
The partnership between BAMI-I & AIRW and the IFA is a significant step forward in addressing the infrastructure challenges faced by small utilities in Indiana. The Switz City AMP project is not just about improving one town’s utilities; it’s about creating a replicable model that can benefit communities across the state. With the support of the IFA and the dedication of the collaboration team, Switz City is set to become a shining example of how effective asset management can lead to sustainable and efficient utility services. Please stay tuned for our continued updates.

For more information about the program and others, please contact Wei Liao at [email protected].