Abstract
Abstract Urban water supply, wastewater and storm water services (globally, water services) are essential to society. The lack of permanent, safe, and respondent services has inevitable consequences on public health and the well-being of communities, on the economy, and on the environment. Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognizes this; failing to meet it necessarily affects the accomplishment of many of the other SDGs. Water services’ provision depends on expensive and long-lasting physical assets. Managing them strategically (e.g., according to the international standards on asset management, series ISO 55x and to the IWA recommendations on infrastructure asset management) is, therefore, fundamental for sustainable societies. Countries need to have sound public policies that enable asset management of water infrastructure. Portugal is a paradigmatic case. This paper elaborates on key government goals, on why asset management is important to meet them, and on key building blocks that a coherent public policy should consider in order to enable asset management of water infrastructure. It also presents how Portugal has been implementing this process, addressing the challenges that need to be overcome.
Highlights
Explanation of key building blocks that a coherent public policy should consider to enable asset management of water infrastructure
With a consistent public policy (1993–2019), Portugal mobilized for a wise allocation of large public investments in the water sector (c. 13 billion Euros in a country of ten million inhabitants), and the coverage and quality of the service provided by public infrastructure improved considerably at national level
It is crucial to pave the way to service effectiveness and sustainability by including the asset management concern in the public policies for water, with the right tools and incentives
Summary
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are nowadays ‘THE’ reference framework for any country to foster development and sustainability. There is the need for roadmaps from the current state of urban water systems to an envisaged state that allows meeting the intended government global goals, taking benefit from available or emerging technology, governance models, management systems, and business opportunities To cope with these challenges, sound public policies are desperately needed. Public policies need to provide them an appropriate environment that accelerates change, fosters the long-term value of the assets, and effectively contributes to achieving the global government goals. In order to achieve them, governments need to establish and implement a public policy that drives an effective management of assets and resources, maximizing Their value for society and for the environment, in a long-term perspective. A broad implementation of asset management by water utilities is in the critical path for all governments committed to complying with the UN SDGs
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