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Action Please By:
November 26, 2008 NACWA, in collaboration with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), is conducting a brief survey to gauge utility interest in a potential National Institute of Utility Management or NIUM. NACWA needs input from its members on whether a NIUM or similar entity is needed and how it might best be structured to better serve the needs of the clean water community. We apologize in advance if you or your agency has received this survey multiple times. WEF is also distributing the survey to many of its members and we ask that you complete only one survey per agency. The brief online survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete. We ask that you please complete the survey by November 26, 2008. NIUM Would Streamline Access to Utility Management InformationThough collaboration has continued to increase, NACWA, WEF, and WERF generally develop and offer utility management resources independent of one another. Utilities and industry stakeholders must decide among the organizations’ resources, some of which may overlap and, on occasion, directly compete. The three organizations have been working to explore the concept of a virtual institute and clearinghouse, the NIUM, to streamline access to existing utility management (and related) products and services from the three organizations; provide enhanced opportunities for collaborative development of new resources, and ultimately, to establish a single, centralized website as the resource for water utility management and related information.Through the proposed NIUM, the three organizations are seeking to provide the wastewater community with a single ‘point of entry’ to their collective products and services and avoid duplication of effort for future products and services. The ultimate goal is a single, coordinated message on, and approach to, utility management issues for the nation’s wastewater utilities. NACWA, WEF, and WERF conducted a feasibility study last year to determine if the NIUM could provide added value to the utility community. A focus group of utility leaders was convened and there was clear interest in the concept. This Survey is intended to gather additional feedback from the members of NACWA, WEF, and WERF to determine whether there is general support within the community for the development of a NIUM and to provide the three organizations with additional input on how best to set up a NIUM. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey by November 26, 2008. Responses will be anonymous and will only be seen by the three organizations. Direct any questions to Chris Hornback at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 202/833-9106. The survey can be accessed online at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228B3KJGXWP * This Member Update Has Been Provided to Affiliates for Information Purposes Only. |