United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2004-03-19 monographic deposited born digital 68 p. GA 1.13:GAO-04-461 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461 P0b002ee1803a2319 f:d04461 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461 GAO-04-461 Assets Facility management Federal aid to localities Potable water Public utilities Technical assistance Wastewater treatment Water pollution control Water quality Financial analysis Financial management Wastewater management Asset management Other Written Product A09547 Having invested billions of dollars in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, the federal government has a major interest in protecting its investment and in ensuring that future assistance goes to utilities that are built and managed to meet key regulatory requirements. The Congress has been considering, among other things, requiring utilities to develop comprehensive asset management plans. Some utilities are already implementing asset management voluntarily. The asset management approach minimizes the total cost of buying, operating, maintaining, replacing, and disposing of capital assets during their life cycles, while achieving service goals. This report discusses (1) the benefits and challenges for water utilities in implementing comprehensive asset management and (2) the federal government's potential role in encouraging utilities to use it. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461.pdf GAO-04-461 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-461 Other Written Product GAO-04-461; Water Infrastructure: Comprehensive Asset Management Has Potential to Help Utilities Better Identify Needs and Plan Future Investments; Assets Facility management Federal aid to localities Potable water Public utilities Technical assistance Wastewater treatment Water pollution control Water quality Financial analysis Financial management Wastewater management Asset management