AGLG Drinking Water Management in British BC Water & Waste Association Columbia Conference | May 27 th 2019 Learnings and Perspectives from Performance Audits of Local Government’s Role in Ensuring Clean Drinking Water in B.C . ACCESSIBILITY INDEPENDENCE TRANSPARENCY PERFORMANCE 1
PRESENTATION OUTLINE The AGLG and Performance Audit Our Audits Local Government’s Role in Ensuring Clean Drinking Water Our approach o Drinking Water Perspectives Series Looking Forward Questions 2
AGLG ACT ENABLES THE OFFICE Conduct performance audits of local government operations Mandate 161 municipalities, 27 regional districts, and 2 greater boards Potential Improvement and irrigation districts currently not in AGLG mandate Auditees Provide local governments with objective information and relevant advice that will assist them in their accountability to their communities for the stewardship of public assets and the achievement of value Purpose for money in their operations Conduct audits according to CPA Canada assurance standards Practices 3
PERFORMANCE AUDITS WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE AUDIT? Performance audits, sometimes called “value-for-money” audits evaluate the operations of local governments in areas such as: o Operational and capital procurement o Human resources o Emergency management o Drinking water Focused on Effectiveness, Efficiency and Economy Not to be confused with other types of water audits such as a leak detection survey or water balance exercise. 4
REPOR ORTING NG OUR REPORTS Achieving Value for Money in Operational Procurement City of Revelstoke Regional District of Fraser-Fort George District of West Vancouver Comox Valley Regional District City of Vernon Corporation of Delta Emergency Management in Local Governments Town of Sidney Capital Regional District District of Mission Learnings from Local Government Capital Procurement Projects and Asset Management Programs City of Cranbrook City of Campbell River District of North Vancouver City of Dawson Creek District of Sechelt City of Rossland (Part 1 of 2) City of Rossland (Part 2 of 2) Local Government Performance in Managing Policing Agreements and Police Budget Oversight City of Williams Lake City of New Westminster City of Port Alberni City of Merritt City of Surrey Local Government's Role in Ensuring Clean Drinking Water City of Kelowna Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Managing the Inherent Risks of Limited Human Resources within Small Local Governments District of Tofino District of Port Edward City of Fernie City of Nelson District of Squamish Perspective Series Booklets Integrated Drinking Water Management Primer of Drinking Water Management in British Columbia IN PROGRESS Improving Local Government Emergency Management Improving Local Government Procurement Processes Policing Services Performance Assessment Additional Drinking Water Perspectives Series Booklet Asset Management for Local Governments • Oversight of Capital Project Planning & Procurement Drinking Water Audit - Township of Langley •
DRINKING WATER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA WHY THIS TOPIC? The well-being of every British Columbian—and every B.C. community—depends on access to clean drinking water For many residents in B.C. our local government provides our drinking water Highest number of boil water advisories per capita among Access to safe, reliable, clean drinking water Canadian provinces depends on water providers acting Approximately 4799 water systems in British Columbia appropriately at each stage of the process. Complex regulatory environment
ABOUT OUR WATER AUDITS FULL COST ACCOUNTING ASSET MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN ENSURING CLEAN DRINKING WATER: Tracks and inventories assets • Develop a robust understanding • of the price and life cycle of Source to Tap assets Identifies risks and risk • Water Conservation management options Guides efficient maintenance • Asset Management scheduling Determines full lifecycle costs • Full Cost Accounting Informs accurate water pricing • CONSERVATION Water Quality Governance Emergency Management Staffing and Maintenance Much More 7
RISK MANAGEMENT WHY A RISK BASED APPROACH IS IMPORTANT Understanding Risk Risks are foreseeable future events or hazards that may negatively impact Organizations of all types and sizes face water quality or quantity, finances, service levels, public confidence, or internal and external factors and influences that make it uncertain whether and when other community priorities. they will achieve their objectives. The effect this uncertainty has on an organization’s Risk management is a proactive approach objectives is “risk”. A risk based preventative approach is considered a more reliable and cost- All activities of an organization involve risk. effective way to protect public health Organizations manage risk by identifying it, analysing it and then evaluating whether the risk should be modified by risk treatment in order to satisfy their risk criteria. Source: International Organization for Standardization: ISO 31000 8
SOURCE WATER PROTECTION – WATER QUALITY It pays to manage risks associated with drinking water sources Local governments need to manage activities and land uses to protect the quality and quantity of existing and future sources of drinking water The majority of B.C. local governments are located in multi-use watersheds therefore may need to work effectively with others 9
DRINKING WATER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRINKING WATER EMERGENCY PLANNING DRINKING WATER EMERGENCIES HAPPEN Drinking water is a critical service and local governments are required to have both an emergency management plan (under the Em ergency Program Act ) and an emergency response and contingency plan (under the Drinking Water Protection Act ). “…it will take two years and up to $300 million US before all hillside residents can safely drink, cook or bathe in the water.” DRINKING WATER EMERGENCIES HAPPEN IN B.C. 10
DRINKING WATER PERSPECTIVES BOOKLETS WHY DEVELOP PERSPECTIVES SERIES BOOKLETS ON DRINKING WATER? Make an important but complex topic accessible for decision makers Important for elected officials and others to understand their local government’s role in the provision of drinking water, including aspects of governance, planning, sustainable financing, integrated water management and developing relationships A way to further assist local governments by sharing some key learnings from our drinking water audits in a different format 11
DRINKING WATER PERSPECTIVES BOOKLETS WHAT DO DRINKING WATER PERSPECTIVES BOOKLETS INCLUDE? Suggestions for local governments interested in drinking water management from source to tap including governance – Q&A format and organized in broad categories Perspectives Booklets: IMPROVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PRIMER ON DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA INTEGRATED DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABLE FINANCING (under development) 12
IMPROVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DRINKING WATER – KEY COMPONENTS UNDERSTANDING THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK RESPONSIBILITIES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOW PREPARED IS YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HANDLE AN EMERGENCY? EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DRINKING WATER RESOURCES 13
PRIMER ON DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA CONSIDERATIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTED OFFICIALS 1. SPEAKING WATER: IMPROVING WATER LITERACY Why should local governm ents be concerned about drinking water? What is involved in providing water? Key concepts related to: Water quality and quantity Proactive, integrated, risk -based approach Im portance of resiliency 14
PRIMER ON DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 2. LOOKING AFTER WATER: UNDERSTANDING DRINKING WATER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Water governance, levels of governm ent and legislation Roles and responsibilities Questions that governing bodies should consider asking about water when decisions are being m ade Staff capacity and training Stakeholder engagem ent Inter-agency cooperation and source water protection Im portance of building relationships with First Nations Em ergency m anagem ent 15
PRIMER ON DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 3. PAYING FOR WATER: UNDERSTANDING SUSTINABLE FINANCING Asset Managem ent Full Cost Recovery Water Metering Perform ance Measurem ent Continuous Im provem ent 16
INTEGRATED DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATORS An Integrated Approach to: Understanding Water Management: Key Principles Understanding Water Management: Roles and Responsibilities Working Effectively Within Local Government to Manage Water Working Effectively With Others Communications and Public Awareness 17
INTEGRATED DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT A SAMPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOKLET WHAT IS A RISK-BASED APPROACH AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WHAT TYPES OF PLANNING SHOULD A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSIDER? HOW CAN ADMINISTRATORS ADOPT AN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT APPROACH? HAS YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY? HOW DO LAND USE DECISIONS AFFECT WATER? WHY IS INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION IMPORTANT IN WATERSHEDS? HOW DOES ‘KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE’ IMPACT COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS? 18
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