Municipalities depend on a vast network of infrastructure to deliver essential services to their residents. Managing these systems efficiently is no easy feat. A Levels of Service (LOS) framework offers municipalities a structured approach to balance service quality, costs, and risks effectively. Here is a simple, high-level guide to incorporating LOS into your Asset Management plan in five steps.
Step 1: Define Your Current Levels of Service
Making meaningful improvements requires understanding where your municipality currently stands. Start by identifying the core services your municipality provides. Defining both community levels of service (what residents see and experience) and technical levels of service (the internal activities and operations) will provide a comprehensive overview of your services. Technical levels of service are inputs and leading indicators, whereas customer levels of service are outputs or lagging indicators.
For example:
- Community LOS: % of residents satisfied with road condition”
- Technical LOS: % of roads inspected annually
This step is crucial as it establishes a baseline against which progress can be measured. Engaging stakeholders and using data to capture what is currently being delivered and what the community values most is important at this step.
Step 2: Identify and Prioritize Key Metrics
Effective LOS tracking depends on choosing the right metrics. Focus on metrics that are:
- Relevant to the services you provide
- Measurable and easy to track over time
- Linked to community values like affordability, safety, or accessibility
For example, tracking the number of water main breaks per year can help reveal issues within the water distribution network. Metrics should align with strategic goals and budget constraints. In the same way, a pavement condition index will provide a quantifiable measure of road quality, if road quality is a key priority for the council . However, always remember prioritization is key; too many metrics can lead to inefficiency.
Step 3: Build a Decision-Making Framework
A cohesive decision-making framework allows municipalities to balance cost, risk, and performance across assets such as roads, sewer lines, and water systems. Achieving this requires an understanding of the interconnections between these assets and addressing challenges, such as:
- Differences in expected useful life between aboveground and underground assets
- Limited visibility of underground assets
- Gaps in condition assessment data for large portions of infrastructure networks
A feasible decision-making framework ensures that rehabilitation, maintenance, and replacement projects are coordinated to achieve LOS targets efficiently and transparently.
Step 4: Track and Document Performance Trends
Monitoring LOS metrics over time provides data-driven insights into how well services are meeting community expectations. Regular condition assessments and performance evaluations are essential to identifying trends, such as:
- Increasing service outages or complaints
- Degrading infrastructure conditions
These trends help decision-makers identify when and where new strategies are needed, such as increasing investment in deteriorating assets or reallocating resources to higher-priority areas. Regular documentation also creates a record to justify budgetary decisions to stakeholders.
Step 5: Address Challenges and Make Informed Adjustments
Challenges such as aging infrastructure, limited budgets, and incomplete or inaccurate data are common for municipalities. Address these proactively by:
- Conducting thorough condition assessments for critical assets
- Collaborating with stakeholders, including staff, elected officials, and residents, to ensure alignment on priorities
- Adjusting service targets based on trends, resource availability, and community feedback
For example, while a municipality may have a target for road conditions, achieving it might require incremental adjustments based on the budget, with clear communication to the public on how progress will be made.
The Path Forward
Incorporating LOS into your Asset Management plan can transform how municipalities deliver services, ensuring that decisions are data-driven, balanced, and aligned with community expectations. Following the 5 steps above is a good start in optimizing your municipality’s infrastructure management for long-term success.
Contact PSD Citywide today to get started on improving your Asset Management plan today.
