Summary

In this Study Session, you have learned that:

• Good governance of a water utility encompasses participation of stakeholders, transparency, responsiveness, consensus, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and independence.
• Sound financial management is crucial to ensuring an adequate and safe water supply.
• Asset management is the process of operating and maintaining systems, with the objective of cost-effectively providing the best possible service to users.
• Customer complaints should be handled diplomatically and used as a means to rectify flaws in the system.
• There may be complaints that are unresolvable. These may then have to be passed to an independent party for resolution.
• Drinking water standards exist to ensure the safety of water for human consumption, and they encompass microbial, physical and chemical parameters.