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Cities across the United States face an economic crisis related to aging infrastructure and increasing regulatory burdens. Practical environmentalism requires removing unnecessary regulatory burdens so that limited local, state, and federal resources can be used most effectively and efficiently to clean and protect water sources. This presentation will identify how existing regulatory procedures and flexibility may be used to eliminate or reduce regulatory mandates that will not provide local ecological and public health benefits. You will learn about communities that were able to save millions by using updated scientific data, scheduling authority, judicial review and existing waiver/variance provisions so that more pressing public works projects can be implemented.
Read MoreOver the past two-years, the City of Upper Arlington, Ohio, has sent staff from all levels to the Lean Six-Sigma Bootcamp. A committee has been formed to apply the continuous improvement process to various departmental activities. The lean approach involves making a workplace efficient and effective as possible, reducing waste and using value stream maps. These processes can be used for a range of activities from a simple spring cleaning of your workspace to a full departmental process change. Discover how the City of Upper Arlington is integrating these principles into their operations.
Read MoreThe City of Milwaukee embarked on a CNG program in 2010 with grant money provided by the State of Wisconsin using federal funds. Some advantages of the CNG program have included reduced fuel costs and quieter garbage packers. Attend this session for an overview of the successes and challenges of a CNG program.
Read MoreWhat is a smart city? Explore how cities are using a multi-department strategy to use data to provide better city services and improve the day-to-day experience of residents. This session will feature the lessons learned during the installation of Kansas City’s smart city infrastructure and the strategies being deployed in other cities’ smart city initiatives.
Read MoreThis session features best practices for Winter Maintenance from around the world. Techniques and approaches to be disussed will aid in the planning for more effective and resilient infrastructure and public works services. Topics will include funding/budgeting, better asset management, improvig employee retention and reducing training and human resources costs.
Read MoreThe Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) released the Envision rating system in 2012. It is a collection of best practices to help infrastructure professionals make better decisions during the lifecycle of all types of infrastructure. ISI considers resilience as a component of sustainability and defines resilience as the ability to successfully adapt to and/or recover readily from significant disruption. In the updated version of Envision, ISI has significantly expanded the Envision credits in terms of risk management, energy and emissions, climate change, durability and adaptability, recovery and synergies, and sustaining innovation. This presentation will introduce the new Envision v3 resilience credits and provide case study examples.
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Road salts are entering the environment in large amounts and posing a risk to plants, animals, birds, fish, lake/stream ecosystems, and groundwater. The City of Barrie, Ontario, has found that concentrations of sodium and chloride for certain supply wells are trending upward near the point of exceeding Ontario Drinking Water Standards. The City has developed a Salt Optimization Strategy to identify opportunities to maintain safe surfaces for pedestrian and vehicular traffic while minimizing the environmental impacts of salt application.
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The immediacy at which the average person expects information regarding public services is at an all-time high. Let’s take a look at the communication pitfalls that snow and ice operations can sidestep by having an effective winter operations communication strategy. We’ll share tips for ways to tell the snow and ice control story in such a way that builds confidence in the operations and garners appreciation for those who work around the clock to keep our roadways safe.
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When disasters and other emergencies occur, public works personnel are among the first to respond. Responsibilities include clearing roadways so that other responders can reach stricken areas, traffic control, debris management, infrastructure repair, and assistance with rescue, evacuation, and restoration of certain services. With a national focus on resiliency through critical infrastructure protection, public works must have a seat at the table with police, fire, and public health when planning and training for the management of emergency incidents.
Read MoreThe Norwegian Association of Municipal Engineers, in cooperation with the Norwegian Water Association, recognize that public workers have a great influence on the livability and health of their communities. To recognize the contribution of water operators and engineers, they present an award each year called “Norway’s Best Drinking Water” to those responsible for ensuring safe and environmentally-sound water supply.
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