Enhancing performance is an integral part of Tampa Bay Water’s mission, which is why the RISE program was introduced. RISE stands for Resilient Infrastructure, Systems and Employees, and is an organization-wide effort aimed at enhancing performance through improved business practices, integrating data systems, implementing a continual improvement program and engaging staff across the agency.
One of the most recent accomplishments of the RISE program is the successful installation and implementation of a new, computerized maintenance management software program called Maximo. Tampa Bay Water’s maintenance and operations staff began using Maximo in December 2014 and is already seeing its benefits.
In addition to project-specific improvements like Maximo, the RISE program also includes formalizing continual improvement activities and processes. After researching several different approaches, Tampa Bay Water selected an Environmental Management System framework, which ensures best management practices are defined and used to reduce environmental impacts and continually improve organizational performance.
Tampa Bay Water is excited about the impact the RISE program is having – and will continue to have – on its staff, its customers and its facilities. The program is helping the utility to meet service expectations in a cost-effective manner. It will also prolong the life of the utility’s assets and level future renewal and replacement costs of those assets. And it will aid in maintaining a highly-trained workforce through a continual improvement program.
