Many utilities face difficulties in raising rates to
accommodate the costs associated with infrastructure
renewal, enhanced security precautions, and other
necessities. Contributing to this issue is a general under
appreciation of the value a utility provides to its community.
At the core of this problem is the value of
water. This value, the commodity itself and the service
provided, must be communicated to customers and
factored into utility decisions. But in order to do so, we
must first understand the term. This article clearly
defines what value means in quantitative and qualitative
terms, factoring in ethical and moral considerations,
as well, and provides information on how large
some estimated values are. In the context of public
disucssion and decision making, values must reflect
what is important to appointed and elected officials,
customers, stakeholders, and the public. This article
offers managers suggestions for how to tap values
when making decisions and seeking customer and/or
political support. Includes reference.
| Edition : | Vol. 97 - No. 4 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 290 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 9 |
| Published : | 04/01/2005 |
