Adelaide - Australia Drinking water and wastewater services

The partnership set up between the state of South Australia and United Water in 1996 covers managing, operating and maintaining Adelaide's drinking water and sewage networks.

The city set high standards: continuous improvements in the quality of water and of effluents as well as in customer service, while always complying with a policy of operational cost cutting and support for the region's economic development.

• Establishing an overall approach to managing water quality issues.
• Implementing an infrastructure management and optimization plan so as to improve their reliability.
• Setting up a preventive maintenance program to minimize breaks in service.
• Expanding R&D activities.
• Implementing training programs.

Developing innovative technologies

• Reusing treated wastewater for replenishing the aquifer.
• Treating and recycling rainwater as drinking water for replenishing the aquifer and recovering good quality water for irrigation and industrial use.

Ensuring highly effective customer service

• By optimizing customer service: call centers, communication campaigns in the media, letters sent to consumers.
• Undertaking annual customer surveys that show a high degree of satisfaction, with 98% of consumers either satisfied or very satisfied in 2007.

Encouraging training

A lot of importance is given to staff training so as to best meet customer expectations (four days of training per staff member per year).

Anne Howe, CEO SAWater

"This contract has already delivered long-term financial and social benefits to South Australia. The level of contractual performance has consistently been high, achieving strict key performance indicators relating to customer resonse times and water and wastewater quality. This performance has been supported by direct access to leading research and technology through United Water."