Redefining asset criticality for a major UK water client

Scottish Water Asset Criticality Appraisal

A strong asset management strategy is key to a successful water network program, and a core component should be performing an asset criticality analysis to rank and prioritise the assets that are critical to achieving optimum performance.

Scottish Water commissioned us to support them with improvements to their current asset criticality assessment process for wastewater treatment and pumping sites, to ensure alignment with best practice, and to support future system and strategic planning processes.

Our team carried out a best-practice review to identify areas for improvement and to update the client’s existing asset criticality policy. The existing asset criticality assessment methodology and definitions, tools, and data requirements were also refined to develop a more efficient and effective approach to asset criticality at both site, unit, and equipment group level.

This new approach will deliver a more streamlined way of measuring asset criticality at site level. It’s a rules-based method using existing data to identify criticality at stage, unit, and asset levels which reduces the need for extensive and prolonged workshop sessions. The approach is sustainable as the model references data sources are routinely updated.

The result? This innovative, leaner approach to asset criticality has enabled Scottish Water to more easily identify critical sites and assets, to target specific maintenance activities and investment, support strategic planning activities, evaluate the need for critical spares, and define appropriate contingency plans—ultimately improving time and cost efficiencies across their asset management programme.