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Introduction

Rapid globalization in the world in recent years has led to a number of shared environmental problems. As globalization continues and the earths natural processes transform local problems into international issues, few societies are being left untouched by major environmental problems. (Environmental problems, 1999, para.1). One among these, a serious concern for all environmentalists is the problem of pollution. The problem of environmental pollution which cannot be overlooked has proven to be existent and uncontrollable. The problem has become very critical, is often kept unresolved and has been overlooked over long periods. The government of every nation faces this challenging problem. The given case study presents a scenario where the public utility department of a town has failed in implementing a sound water distribution system due to low accountability and performance related issues by its employees. This has resulted in the death of residents which unless controlled with immediate action will continue to prove fatal.

Purpose of Study

The purpose of the study is to develop a performance management system based on Commission processes, services and employees. There is also scope for creating a public awareness plan to be established in the town of Meadow Brook.

Statement of Problem

The Meadow Brook town has encountered a local tragedy due to the unaccountability and unacceptable performance of its Public Utilities Commission employees. Water contamination has claimed the life of many and has proven to be uncontrollable. The problem which could have been controlled in the earlier stages itself has proven to be fatal due to the untimely actions and frivolity of the authorities involved.

Review of Literature

Water Management

Water which has no substitute is a unique resource and is a very fundamental source of life. According to Postel (1999), the roots of water problems lie in the fact that unlike any other scant resources, water is used to stir up all aspects of life. Water management is a kind of conflict management. There is no such thing as managing water for a single purposeall water management is multi-objective and based on navigating competing interests. (Wolf, 2009, p.67). According to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of Global Water Partnership, the major challenge faced by countries in their economic and social developments is related to water which includes water shortages, quality deterioration and flood impacts.

TAC reports that many countries do very little in water resource management with complete openness and transparency which results in very limited or no access to information by the public. It says the continuation of this approach can be counterproductive. The risky areas in water management involve extreme climate conditions, public health and environmental damage. According to TAC, the usage of water is integrated as water for people, water for food, water for nature and water for industry and other uses. There is great need for integrating the quantity and quality. The decline in the quality reduces its usability. Clearly, institutions capable of integrating the quantity and quality aspects have to be promoted to influence the way human systems operate in generating, abating and disposing of waste products. (Agarwal, et al, 2000, p.25). It emphasizes the importance of Public Awareness as a tool to mobilize sustainable water management and suggests changes in behavior and action to achieve the objective of effective water management.

Water Delivery System

The state legislature of Arizona says that a water delivery system involves an entity that distributes or sells potable water through a pipeline delivery system. This system is owned by either a city or town which is under the rules and regulations of the government, a private entity which is regulated as a public service corporation or an entity of water supply system which is regulated by the environmental quality department. (Definition of municipal water delivery system, 2007).

In their study Developing a sustainable water-delivery system in rural El Salvador the team works on assessing the feasibility of implementing a water delivery project. Different types of water pumps, filtration mechanisms and a good water supply network are the most essential requirements of a successful fresh water supply system. (Wing, et al. 2007).

The first step of the study involved creating a map showing the distribution location. A successful water delivery system involves structural engineering for infrastructure design, water- filtering to address health related issues and timely maintenance and operations. (Wing et al, 2007)

Surface water which is supplied through the distribution channel comes from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This water is disinfected and filtered and subjected to other treatments before it enters the distribution system. This surface water usually travels miles through underground pipes before it reaches the people.

Ground water wells or surface water are the source of our drinking water. Most of the rural populations have ground water wells with simple piping systems. There are many other people in populated areas that get water from large water supply wells via complicated distribution system. Ground water supplies are usually extracted by a pump, treated and disinfected when necessary, and delivered to homes and businesses through a network of pipes called a distribution system. (New Englands ground water resources, n.d., p.116).

The Iowa Association of Naturalist says that both ground water and surface water are equally important as they supply drinking water for people and livestock and for other uses such as irrigation and industrial production. The pollution of these two water systems is categorized: point source and non-point source. Pollutants that cannot be tracked to a single source are non- point source. Chemical run-off, soil erosion and animal waste are examples of non-point source. The point source can be traced to a specific source and are also called end of the pipe pollution. Some examples for point source pollutants are leaking chemical tanks, effluents from waste treatment or industrial plants, manure spill etc. The point source pollutants become a major threat for household, communities and industries. (Iowa Association of Naturalists, 1998)

The best solution to the problem of water pollution is by asking oneself, How much are we willing to change our lives and how much are we willing to spend to ensure that the water we use every day is clean and pure? (Lowa water pollution, n.d., p.23).

Microbial contamination of water

According to New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission micro organisms when ingested in drinking water pose potential health problems causing a number of life threatening diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and gastrointestinal diseases. Microbial contamination of the water is attributed to the following sources:

Sewage disposal,
Agriculture
Wild life
Storm water run-off. (Protection measures to prevent and control microbial contamination, n.d., p.1).

A number of studies highlight that grazing livestock cause fecal contamination of water resources which are indicated by E.coli and other bacterial pathogens. This contamination happens mainly when the livestock dispose fecal material in water bodies (Collins, 2001). Giardia, cryptosporidium, salmonella, campylobacter, and Escherichia coli (E.coli) are the most commonly identified microorganisms found in mammals and birds. (Protection measures to prevent and control microbial contamination, n.d., p.1).

Public Utilities Department

A public utility is defined here as an organization that is majority owned and controlled by government and could consist of a number of different forms, some of which may be undistinguished from the government unit that they may be a part of. (Baietti, 2006, p.2). Water Supply & Sanitation Working Notes says that urban water supply and sanitation services are commonly provided by state-owned and colossal water organizations. It adds, successful public utilities are still the exception because the people in many developing countries are under the authority of public utilities. This has resulted due to ineffective, misdirected policies and the monopolistic nature of the sector.

The report uses a case study approach to bring into light the essential features of a rationalized public utility and tries to find out key competencies that have a greater impact on performance. Performance management issues are important concerns of public utilities. Benchmarking systems can provide the opportunity to monitor each sector performance. With a national utility; this is best achieved by establishing cost or profit centers for each self-contained system within the entire network and monitoring performance regularly on this basis. In a decentralized setting, governance needs to be tightened considerably by increasing transparency and the accountability of mayors for improving local services. Benchmarking performance of the government units themselves is one way of making mayors more accountable to their constituents because comparative results can be made available to the public on a periodic basis. (Baietti, 2006, p.31). All of these factors and related data must be considered when analyzing the issues facing the failures of the water delivery system in Meadow Brook. Additional investigation must be completed to better understand the breakdown of performance and policy by the Public Utilities Commission employees that resulted in the fatalities and illnesses of Meadow Brook residents.

Needs assessment

The various data collection methods have been used in this context to analyze the problems related with the municipality of Meadow Brook town in providing contaminated water supply to the people. Different types of needs analysis are necessary in order to find out the problems behind this issue. A key success to needs assessment is to gather the correct data among various groups of people. The different types of methodology used here for needs assessment are done by conducting surveys and interviews among selected focus groups in order to identify the actual problem. The focus group selected here are people living in the Meadow Brook town itself. These individuals will provide firsthand information related to their experiences with the water supply problems and the communication breakdown that resulted in the fatalities of local residents. The needs assessment includes opinions about these problems and ways to reduce the problems happening in the water and how purified water can be provided for the people. It is understood that contaminants are added in to the water from many sources. The origin of drinking water can be from river, lake, ponds etc. Thus, it is very clear that water needs to travel through many surfaces and therefore the chance for having water become contaminated is very large. Contaminants that may be present in source water include microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. (Annual drinking water quality report for 2007, n.d., p.1). Due to this fact, it is very important that authorities take effective measures to remove this contamination from water before it reaches in to the population. Failing to do so can result in major health hazards for the people, even death.

Survey

Certain groups have been focused upon in order to conduct the survey. Here two surveys are conducted among two different sets of people. This is to ensure accuracy.

The first survey is to understand how this group of people is communicating their concerns about the Meadow Brook problem and what their opinions are regarding this issue. Their conclusions will be essential in obtaining effective data.

During the survey with the first set of people it is understood that a focused group of people are very much aware of the problem. These individuals commented that these problems have happened due to very high levels of E. coli bacteria in the water supply. Also these people mentioned that the different sources which are necessary to make water contaminants are radioactive, microbial, organic and inorganic contaminants or the presence of pesticides and herbicides. Water can be said to be purified only when all these contaminants are removed. During the survey, people also complained that the person in charge, Kramer, was not a highly skillful person for doing this job. According to this group, this is the main reason for the happenings of all sorts of problems regarding the contamination of the towns water. Even though Kramer realized the water was contaminated after the test, he didnt take any action. This shows lack of professionalism and a disregard for consumer health and safety. People are very angry with Kramers inaction and the resulting problems.

A second set of people also actively participated in the survey. They, too, discussed the same issues or problems mentioned by the first set of people. In addition, the second set surveyed mentioned the need to improve the system which is used for purifying the water. The person who is operating the machinery must be highly skillfull in this activity. In addition, these people suggested that additional measures to purify the water to ensure safety are necessary. People also mentioned that inspection and monitoring of the machinery and water should be done on a regular, consistent basis to ensure everything is working properly.

Interviews

Interviews were conducted with eminent people in order to identify the tools for this problem. People selected for the interview included one of the officials selected from the health department, as well as the CEO of a company which manufactures the machinery used in water purification.

Short portrayal from an interview conducted with one of the officials from the Health Department

During an interview, officials of the health department mentioned some activities for which contaminated water may be used. (Kreger, 2007, para.2).

In his view, he mentioned there is no problem in using this water for washing or bathing etc. But at the same, he mentioned that every precaution must be taken while this water is used for bathing purposes for children. Because there is a chance for digesting that water, during such cases serious harmful effects may take place. Officials mentioned that if there are small amounts of contaminants present then that water can be used after sterilizing. By this way, bacteria might get killed. Also, officials said that while washing dishes or utensils one needs to be very careful and not to forget to use water which is boiled. Another important point mentioned while concluding the interview, was that everyone should have some concern for what purpose contaminated water can be used or not and also one must have some knowledge on how to sterilize the contaminated water. The point is that one must always be prepared to deal with water containing E-coli and other types of bacterias. The official also advised people to consult the water quality report that you should receive annually from your local water system, or call your local water system directly. (Drinking water contaminants: Basic information about E. Coli 0157: H7 in drinking water, 2006, para.14).

The CEO mentioned that in order to avoid such issues as what happened in Meadow Brook, one needs to use a very good water purification system. Not only must the person who is responsible for operating the machinery be very knowledgeable regarding the operation, the local consumers of the water must take the responsibility to contact authorities to get water quality reports in order to make sure they are getting purified water. The CEO also suggested different steps that the water needs to undergo before it gets purified completely. The first step is aeration. The treatment process begins with aeration, which reduces carbon dioxide levels to lower treatment costs and also improves taste. (Wilmington water department, 2004, p.3). The next important step is that alum is added into the water. This is done to remove color particles from water. Next, in order to remove iron and manganese particles, potassium permanganate is added in to the water. It is because the presence of these iron and manganese will add unwanted color and smell in water. There are two more steps such as settling and filter basins before water gets chlorinated. The CEO mentioned this is the actual classic step for removing unwanted contaminants from water. He also mentioned that presently there are microprocessor based control system monitors that display the water quality and other conditions and generates an alarm if an abnormal condition arises (Water purification machine, 2009, para.1). The CEO mentioned by using such a machine, one can guarantee purified water to the public.

Action plan

The action plan includes a variety of options in order to address the problems. The problem here is the failure of the Meadow Brook water delivery system to provide purified water to the public. Within this particular instance, with the water system testing positive for e-coli, a no-use city water emergency situation would be implemented immediately, which would result in an extensive public awareness campaign. The system would be flushed with levels of gaseous chlorine to kill all bacteria present. The system would be tested numerous times during a 24-hour period and samples would be taken in many locations. Since certain fatalities have resulted from this situation, the EPA and DEQ would be notified and asked to take over the investigation on an emergency basis. All documents, records and personal logs concerning the issues would be sent to all the appropriate regulatory agencies. A massive media campaign would be implemented to ensure that no human use of the water takes place until approved by the EPA and the DEQ. Outside consultants would be notified immediately to run the water system on a temporary basis. Frequent testing and an extensive search to determine the cause of the contamination would occur simultaneously. In addition to the cities lab results, a certified outside lab would be used to confirm the cities own test results. These lab results would be communicated to the public via the local media outlets including television stations, local radio stations, the internet and local newspapers. Public meetings would be scheduled with the local patrons to update them on the progress that is occurring.

To prevent such issues from taking place in the future, additional actions would be implemented. One of the important issues is hiring of a certified and licensed individual to function as an operator. He/she must have thorough knowledge in understanding at which level water gets contaminated. Also, he/she must be very well acquainted and knowledgeable in the operations of the machinery involved. In the event that any problems occur with the machinery, the operator must know which problems have happened and how they are to be corrected. Such awareness is vitally important. In order to be qualified for this position, the individual who is appointed as an operator must have undergone excessive steps/training and have completed numerous exams to demonstrate that he/she is truly capable and qualified for this important position. They must have an appropriate certification and licensing. Furthermore, authorities must always keep an eye on this operator in order to determine his/her competency levels and to ensure that all areas of compliance are being met. Outside auditors must be brought in to review procedures and records on a regular basis.

Presently, the purification report of the Brook Meadow water quality is published annually. The reporting of this information must be changed to a quarterly publishing so that all areas can be monitored more effectively. Additionally, the quality of the machinery must be foremost. As mentioned earlier by the CEO of the water purification company, the machinery used for purifying water must be the best available and have all the necessary features for testing the contamination present in water. The machine or machinery should have display devices to show how much water is purified and ensure that all required ratios are met. Also, the machine should have an alarm system in case contaminated water passes through it to alert individuals not to use the water. Authorities must always be aware of the accidents that are taking place as minutes are crucial for public safety. Machinery must be checked in regularly scheduled intervals and any failures reported immediately.

The next item for the action plan is to ensure that people have an opportunity to submit feedback reports about the water they are using. This information will be very useful in analyzing problems in the water. Feedback can be provided through electronic media or in person via telephone. Thus, if a person assumes any kind of unfamiliarity while using the water, they can provide feedback to alert authorities. This will provide a method to alert authorizes of discrepancies in the water system. Authorities must be responsible for following up on public feedback within a timely designated manner at least once daily to ensure that its safety is maintained.

Most effective solution to the problem

Among the various models and solutions mentioned in the above step, the best solution that can be applied to this organization is selected. The best solution is mentioned below:

Provide both theoretical and practical training program for the employees in certain areas such as:
Continuously monitoring and controlling the chlorinating system of the company.
Preparing a quarterly (instead of annual) performance report and presenting it to the higher authority.

Before labeling the water samples, the public utility commission has to make sure that the water is taken from trusted sources. The organization will have accountability measures to ensure that this is done.

Based on the discussions of the case study, it was found that by concentrating on these aspects it is easier for the company to hire and continually train talented and efficient employees who will be able to maintain the overall performance system of the company.

By giving appropriate training programs to the employees, their knowledge and skills related to the task will develop and this will lead to efficient and effective management of the available resources within the organization. Training is the systematic process of altering the behavior of employees in a direction to increase achievement of the organization goals (Importance of training, 2009).

The problems that arise due to the carelessness of the employees can be reduced by giving them adequate training and ensuring that they are competent in their abilities. The employees should be given effective training related to the chlorinating system that is essential to ensuring water safety. Employees must be trained to effectively control and monitor the performance of the chlorinating system.

The proportion of the chlorine content should not be low or high. The chlorine proportion should be maintained as per the rule of the ministry of water authority. The chlorine proportion should match the proportion of the bacteria presented in the water. The lab manager is responsible for testing the samples within the organization and thus he/she must be trained well and understand the overall importance of ensuring that his/her job is completed in a professional manner as to ensure the safety of the public. The magnitude of his/her job must not be understated and reporting must be true and accurate.

The overall performance of employees must be evaluated and must be presented in a performance report. This can be done quarterly. This quarterly report must be submitted to the higher authority and to the department of environmental quality (DEQ). The Department of Environmental Quality is responsible for handling issues that are related to the environment so that any deviations in performances can be identified and appropriate measures can be taken. Normally, in organizations performance reports are presented on an annual basis. But here, job performance is crucial to the safety of the public and the problem is very serious and it has even led to several fatalities. Therefore, for this year, the performance report must be prepared and presented to the higher authority on the basis of quarterly performance.

The Public Utility Commission is responsible for selecting the sources from where the water has to be taken. The sources from where the water is taken should be verified and laboratory tests of those samples should be completed. Any faulty information provided by the organization should be penalized. By following all these aspects it will be easier for the organization to build an appropriate performance management system.

Strategies formulated to implement the recommended solutions

A performance management system is implemented in an organization to bridge the gap between the expected performance and the actual performance of the resources within the organization. Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities (Susan, 2009, para.1). For implementing the recommended solutions, certain strategies have been developed. The strategies that can be implemented in the organization to increase their efficiency are listed as follows:

Outsourcing resources from trustworthy and recognizable entities.
State wide segmentation has to be developed to analyze the high relevant efficiency of the resources used by the organization.
The technique of social marketing can be implemented by which awareness among the people is created regarding the pollutants responsible for the water pollution.
A website can be developed which provides all information regarding the issues related to the water pollution and precautions that have to be taken against it.

An appropriate marketing plan must be framed based on these strategies.

Marketing plan

This plan forms the basis for the organization to solve the issues that are currently faced by them. This plan serves as a public awareness plan for the people. The plan is composed of certain components that are explained as follows:

Mission

The mission of the organization is to provide good quality water for the customers in the locality. Water filtration units are established to attract people and to create awareness in the minds of people that the water is fit for use.

Marketing objective

The objective of the company is to increase the consumption rate of the people or customers while providing a safe and accountable delivery of the product.

Financial objective

The financial objective includes increasing the growth rate annually.

Target segments

The target market for this product is the general people who are consuming water that is distributed by the authority. It includes all segments in the market. The organization is focusing on this group because it has the goal of building a trustworthy relationship with the people.

The organization will position itself as a customer oriented organization where the water will be delivered to the customers at a reasonable cost with safety as the highest priority. After implementing the solutions in the organization, the performance of the organization will increase and this will increase the quality of the water whereby the trust among the people towards the commission will increase.

The main objective of the organization is to regain the goodwill that has been lost among the people due to the present problem. The marketing strategy is framed to provide awareness among the people that the water has been purified and it is fit for use.

Marketing mix

Pricing

The pricing of the water delivery is at a reasonable cost and it is framed by the Public Utility Commission.

Place

Public Utility Commission is responsible for the distribution of water in the locality.

Promotion

The promotion can be done by giving samples to the public. Certain awareness programs must be conducted to generate ideas among the people that the water has been purified and it is fit for use. An awareness advertisement by the government will be very helpful for the organization to get back its reputation and trust.

People

The concept of marketing mix becomes successful only when the product is positioned in the minds of people. Through this plan the organization aims to reduce serious problems in future by emphasizing more on safeguarding the lives of people and thereby increasing the satisfaction level among them.

Market research

Market research is conducted through the survey method, interview and data collected from the focus group.

Performance Management Training Plan

A performance management training plan has to be developed in order to ensure that not only the newly hired operator, but the rest of the personnel know about their obligations at the working place. This training should not be optional; the employees that refuse to undergo the training should not be allowed to work on the positions that require increased attention, responsibility, conscientiousness, and accuracy. This, together with the actions mentioned above, will help to control water contamination in Meadow Brook at the current stage. Moreover, it will prevent the like problems taking place because of personnel issues.

The employee training program will hardly take much time. The time taken is going to depend on the managements desire to have a skilled and educated working force. Since the management should understand the scarcity of time that the employees have (due to personal and other reasons), it is better for the training program to take place during the working hours. For this, at least an hour of the employees working day will have to be spent for training. The time required for carrying out of the plan depends on the number of employees that have to be trained. In general, the employees will have to be divided into two groups that will undergo the training in turns. The total time required for the program training is four weeks. Each of the groups will undergo training three times a week. This means that each group will take 12 specially designed classes in the course of which the employees will learn the following:

The legislation regarding the negligence at the working place (classes 1-4);
The responsibilities of each employee with regards to his/her position (classes 5-7);
The interrelation of different positions (how the irresponsibility of one employee may affect the work of the others) (classes 8-11);
How to report about the accidents at the working place and the consequences of the failure to report about them in time. At this, special attention should be placed on reporting about the accidents that an employee is trying to conceal (class 12).

A person in charge of the training program implementation will have to be assigned. When the training ends, the employees will have to pass an exam on what they have learnt during the program. Successful implementat

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