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Routine inspections of assets such as pumps, pump stations, valves and fire plugs should be carried out in order to maintain the reticulation system in good working order. Inspections should follow a maintenance schedule.

In real life, there are competing pressures of routine maintenance, responses to customer enquiries and resource limitations. Operators may have to make judgements about which of these pressures takes precedence at any given time.

Faulty assets should be listed for repair or replacement. Urgent faults which threaten water supply or cause hazardous situations need to be addressed immediately. Faults of a less serious nature are added to routine maintenance schedules.

Any asset repairs should be planned. This includes carrying out Job Safety Analyses, organising any notifications that may have to be issued to customers and making arrangements with private contractors. New fittings, tools, traffic management and personal protective equipment required for the job will need to be sourced and assembled.

When carrying out repairs and maintenance, records should be kept. Operators should make a note in their work diaries on a daily basis as work progresses. This provides operators with a record which they can refer back to later should the need arise.

Before finishing a job, a final inspection should be made to ensure that the work meets all organisational requirements such as those set out in the Standard Operating Procedures. Common sense suggests making sure that no tools have been left at the job site and that all safety measures have been observed.

As always, the job’s not done till the paperwork’s finished. Any changes to the location or types of assets used will need to be recorded in the organisation’s Valve Book and maintenance record system. Keeping these records up to date is an essential part of ensuring a high quality service.

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