US EPA Effective Utility Management

The Challenge

Water and wastewater utilities have long faced pressure to maintain aging infrastructure, ensure financial sustainability, and build resilience, but the sector lacked a shared management framework to assess performance and prioritize improvements. Utilities of all sizes needed a common language and practical tool to strengthen operations and planning.

Our Role

Since 2006, Ross Strategic has partnered with EPA’s Office of Water alongside municipalities, utility managers, state agencies, and five national trade associations (WEF, AWWA, AMWA, NACWA, APWA) to address this gap. Ross Strategic facilitated the original development of the Effective Utility Management Primer in 2008 and led its 2017 and 2024 updates, convening national steering groups, conducting interviews, and synthesizing input to modernize the Ten Attributes and Five Keys framework. The team translated the Primer into workshop materials and has led multi-utility and customized single-utility workshops across the country.