Implementation
IWS FRAMEWORK BUILDING BLOCKS
An IWS requires investment and advancement of many different building blocks that work together to help better manage sewersheds. This study presents the key building blocks in the proposed IWS framework and recommends approaches any utility can take within each building block to support a successful implementation of IWS. These building blocks belong to three main categories of the IWS framework – technical, organizational, and foundational. The categories and each of their building blocks are presented in the figure below.
The technical building blocks cover the important technological practices needed to advance the current practices in sewershed management. Technical building blocks help improve understanding of IWS definition and outcomes, sewershed system-of-systems, data collection, data management, modeling, cybersecurity decision centric and implementation aspects of sewershed management.
Organizational building blocks cover aspects that need to be addressed at the utility level to allow effective implementation of the technical and foundational building blocks. Specifically, these cover the development of strategic plans, governance structures, workforce improvement and communication strategies that can support implementation of IWS at the sewershed scale.
The foundational building blocks describe the core values and vision needed to ensure the right mindset and long-term sustainability of the IWS.