Blueprint 2.0 DC Water's 2022-2027 Strategic Plan
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Blueprint 2.0
DC Water’s 2022-2027
Strategic Plan
1
Foreword
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us how global It has been three years since we launched The
and interdependent we have become as humans. Blueprint, the strategic plan that pushed us to operate
A virus that began on the other side of the world as a high-performing utility, improve employee
spread like wildfire and completely upended life as we engagement and the customer experience, better
knew it before March of 2020. It has taken incredible leverage technology, ensure a safe workplace, and
international cooperation and coordination to contain enhance our readiness and resilience.
this deadly threat, a shared effort necessary for our
mutual survival. Along the way we have become a more results-driven
organization and today we can better measure the
Likewise, we must think globally in how we plan to progress made to meet those goals. We can look at
meet the challenges of tomorrow. As a water and each strategic program and highlight successes and
wastewater utility, we don’t operate in a vacuum. We real, impactful change implemented at DC Water
are influenced by forces beyond our control including since 2018. We can also point to a shift in the culture
climate change, natural disasters, and yes, public of the organization as we have embraced the values
health crises like a pandemic. At the same time, we of Accountability, Trust, Teamwork, Safety, Customer
have the responsibility to ensure we operate in ways Focus and Wellbeing.
that do good rather than harm the environment or the
people we serve. Now, the challenge before us is to build on that
progress and set an ambitious course for the next
That’s why I am so proud that to develop this strategic five years and beyond. This organization has a hard-
plan, DC Water started with the inspiring United earned reputation for leadership and innovation,
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. That gives and in my opinion this plan, Blueprint 2.0, will
us the foundation on which to build a better, more accentuate our standing in the water and wastewater
sustainable, more resilient, more reliable and more industry, ensure we continue to deliver unparallel
equitable organization over the next five years. water services to our community and position the
organization to address the needs of the future.
It is my pleasure and privilege to lead the DC Water
Board of Directors on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser. The Board of Directors and Management Team
I have worked closely with the Mayor to develop her worked in partnership to identify the key imperatives
Sustainable DC Plan and I know this plan, Blueprint to move this organization forward in the face of local
2.0, will support her vision to make the District of and global trends and drivers of change such that we
Columbia the healthiest, greenest, most livable city never thought possible. Extensive engagement gave
for all District residents. everyone in leadership the opportunity to leave their
fingerprint on this document and shape the strategic
direction of DC Water.
The result is a clear view of where this organization is
Tommy Wells
headed and the path forward to achieve the next level
Chair of the Board of Directors
of performance and service, to the great benefit of
our customers.
David L Gadis
Chief Executive Officer
and General Manager
2 DC Water
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Introduction
Our Vision and Mission
Our Vision at DC Water is to aspire to be We provide around 700,000 residents and 21.3
known for superior service, ingenuity and million annual visitors in the District of Columbia
stewardship to advance the health and with essential water, wastewater, and stormwater
services. We serve an area of approximately 725
well-being of our diverse workforce and square miles and treat wastewater for approximately
communities. Our mission and primary 1.6 million people in neighboring jurisdictions,
objective to achieve our vision is to exceed including Montgomery and Prince George’s counties
expectations by providing high quality in Maryland and Fairfax and Loudoun counties
water services in a safe, environmentally in Virginia. Our values of accountability, trust,
teamwork, customer focus, safety and wellbeing
friendly, and efficient manner.
guide our decision-making and are a reflection of our
culture enabling us to deliver a vision and mission for
these communities we serve.
The Blueprint
Our current strategic plan, The Blueprint, We also created a new Water Quality tracking mobile
has demonstrated the commitment of our app to interface with captured data. These combined
Board of Directors, management team and accomplishments have enabled DC water to continue
to deliver a high-quality service and maintain our
workforce to meet our challenges head on critical infrastructure.
and position DC Water for success in the
coming years. This is a critical time for our organization. We must
build on the efforts and progress made through The
The Blueprint has DC Water headed in the right Blueprint to ensure we maintain and improve the vital
direction. Since the launch of The Blueprint, we have services for our customers. In order to achieve this,
concentrated resources and energy to achieve the we need to manage future uncertainty and adapt to
goals outlined in our strategic plan. Highlights of changes that will impact on our activities. We must
these accomplishments include providing support ensure that this critical infrastructure – which has
to thousands of customers through our Customer served us so well and sustained this great city since
Assistance Programs, improving our safety culture by the mid-1800’s – can continue to do its job for the
reducing our Lost Time Incident Rate, redesigning next 150 years. We need to harness our operational
Leading Blue – our in-house training program to excellence and innovative culture that have made
continue in a virtual format, and delivering over 40 us an industry leader to tackle the 21st century
in-house training classes. We also embarked on challenges before us, including aging pipes that have
digital transformation by migrating our systems to the outlasted their useful lives and capital costs that are
cloud environment which has significantly enhanced driving rate increases. Since May 2018, CEO David
our ability to pivot seamlessly to teleworking during Gadis has been working to put together the best
COVID-19. We deployed predictive models for water leadership team in the industry and now is the time
quality, water main breaks, revenue and receipts for a refreshed strategy to tackle the new challenges
tracking and meter monitoring. of today and future challenges of tomorrow.
4 DC Water 5
Challenges
Addressing the challenges of today Realizing the opportunity and tackling the
COVID-19 has brought unprecedented The current pace of replacement is insufficient and challenges of tomorrow
challenges to DC Water and more broadly, needs to be addressed. Given our current cost There are many trends and drivers that will influence
to the water utility industry and the recovery business model we need to consider new the future context in which we will operate over the
approaches to address these challenges while also next three decades. The trends considered to be most
communities we collectively serve. Our maintaining equitable and affordable rates. impactful for DC Water are diverse and include global,
employees have met these challenges national and local drivers of change. For example,
head-on and they did so without sacrificing We are also anticipating new regulation and DC Water has a critical role to play with the United
progress on numerous critical initiatives need for enhanced watershed coordination with States rejoining the Paris Agreement and President
key stakeholders, including the need to continue
for the Authority, our customers, and our Biden pledging to make the fight against climate
removing lead completely from our system. To remain
community. We need to continue to identify compliant, this could cost as much as $1 billion and is
change a top priority of his administration. These
trends that are forecasted to significantly impact DC
key opportunities for DC Water to become a critical challenge for DC Water and the District. Water in the long term include climate change and
more resilient to future shocks and how global warming, the transition to net-zero emissions,
operations can be re-shaped to better serve The pandemic and recent events have presented real changing regulatory and political landscapes and
challenges as we set out to engage with customers
our communities as we slowly return to a declining water consumption. The UN Sustainable Development Goals
about our priorities and proposed rates for future
new ‘business-as-usual.’ fiscal years. To be able to address these we need to provide guiding principles that development
By undertaking long term, strategic horizon scanning
leverage advancements in technology to optimize must balance social, economic and
DC Water is faced with the continuous challenge of and aligning our thinking to the United Nation’s
our existing assets, collaborate with customers and environmental sustainability. They were
balancing customer affordability and financial stability. Sustainable Development Goals we have pushed
continue to empower our staff. designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a
With businesses and schools shuttered during the Blueprint 2.0 to identify and consider drivers of
better and more sustainable future for all.”
pandemic, the Authority saw a sharp decline in change and contextual matters which are applicable
Blueprint 2.0 is our new enterprise-wide strategic The SDG’s were set up in 2015 by the United
commercial and municipal consumption, offset only to our mission and by virtue of their nature, have
plan designed to guide us over the next five years Nations General Assembly and are intended
slightly by a small increase in the amount of water implications to our customers, employees, operations,
and beyond. This strategic plan will allow DC Water to be achieved by the year 2030.
District residents were using at home. We are still on the environment, and the wider community.
to address immediate challenges by focusing on
strong footing financially, but revenue is down, and stronger alignment between our strategic priorities The UN SDG’s provide a lens to enable DC
Blueprint 2.0 frames our transformational ambition
the impacts may linger as the District and customers and financial budgets, stronger integration and Water to develop a holistic, sustainable and
to accelerate the initiatives we began addressing
recover from the economic toll of COVID-19. Over the alignment between our goals and core activities resilient strategic plan.
within The Blueprint to address these critical long-
next five years we need to continue to ensure we are and a strong focus on high performance outcomes. term drivers of change. The cross section of our
delivering maximum value for our customers in the
people who contributed to Blueprint 2.0 echoed the
most equitable manner.
importance that we, DC Water, must learn from the
Maintaining essential services across our aging past to be resilient to future challenges while at the
asset base is a critical challenge we currently face. same time keeping our people and communities
Our world class Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater safe and well. We must continue to provide reliable
Treatment Plant is renowned for superior service, but services while leading sustainable stewardship of the
out in the streets, many components of our water watershed in which we operate. Most importantly,
distribution and sewer collection system are older we must ensure we operate in a sustainable and
than their expected lifespan. equitable manner to enable our key stakeholders to
prosper.
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Imperatives Overview
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Blueprint 2.0 sets out five Organizational To articulate the narrative of the future DC Water
Imperatives, which are defined outcomes strategy, we use the term ‘Imperative’, to highlight the
importance and urgent need to focus our collective
essential to achieving our strategic ambition efforts in a targeted manner. The five imperatives are
over the next five years and beyond.
Well relationships between
an interconnected system and
Sust Susta
The Imperatives have been developed nd
each imperative areacomplex and interwoven. ain in
through engagement with a cross section
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althy, Saf
of key stakeholders and are used to frame The Strategic Themes provide clear structure, specific
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detail and focus to help realize our Imperatives.
our strategy and address our upcoming ‘Goals’ and accompanying leading or lagging
challenges. metrics are designed to help us achieve and track
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our progress. We will strengthen ‘Ongoing Activities’
and launch specific ‘Programs of Work’ to achieve our af
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The five imperatives are:
Healthy, Safe and Well Sustainable
Is everybody we impact healthy, safe and well? Are we able to meet the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs?
Reliable
Can we deliver our agreed service level in an
efficient and effective manner? Equitable
Are we operating in an equitable manner to
enable our employees, partners, customers,
Resilient and communities to prosper?
Are we able to cope with and recover from
disruption, anticipating shocks and stressors to
maintain service?
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Water is the life source of our community, employee or a contractor, a customer or a member
and the essential services we provide of our community, that our culture prioritizes keeping
everybody safe above all else. Over the past several
at DC Water must be world-class. Our years, we’ve implemented a ‘good catch program’
fundamental priority has to be ensuring DC which educates our employees on the implications
Water is safe for all – for our customers, of safety in their daily job functions, completed a
our communities, our employees and our comprehensive review of the effectiveness of DC
contractors. Water’s safety policies and sought opportunities to
leverage best practices. Now, we need to embed an
All of this must also be completed with an ongoing enterprise-wide safety culture through training and
focus on ensuring that both physical and mental implementing safety best practices.
health and wellbeing are considered just as
importantly as safety. Ensuring together we thrive
The physical and mental health and wellbeing of our
As we strive to provide reliable services, we must employees needs to continue to be considered as
focus first on the question of: important as their safety. We must make sure that
we foster an environment that prioritizes mental
“Is everybody we impact healthy, safe and well?”
health, enables people to feel secure and fulfilled in
Delivering world-class, healthy water their work. We must actively focus on promoting the
importance of mental and physical wellbeing across
services the entire organization.
DC Water provides essential services to the
communities that make up the capital region. It is
critical that our customers are kept safe and receive
“People are our most important asset –
world-class water and wastewater services. We must of course we have hard assets like pipes,
be role models for other utilities, not just meeting but vehicles and machinery but without our
exceeding the base level of regulatory compliance.
people we are nothing. They are the
To continue providing an excellent quality product, lifeblood of our organization and they Lead Free DC
we need to accelerate our ‘Lead Free DC’ program to
replace lead service lines and improve water quality.
keep the most fundamental resource DC Water unified its suite of lead pipe
Our Clean Rivers program is already improving we have, clean and healthy water, replacement programs under one umbrella,
called Lead Free DC with the aim to secure
the quality of the Anacostia Watershed, ultimately flowing for all of our communities. high-quality water at the tap for our customers.
reducing combined stormwater and sewage discharge
into rivers at times of heavy rainfall by 96% upon That’s why their safety, physical and Affordability for customers is at the core of this
completion in 2030. To ensure success of the program, mental health, and wellbeing is of Lead Free DC initiative. In 2019 a historic law
we need to work with other water users in the established city-funded assistance programs
paramount focus to our organization for free and discounted lead pipe replacement.
watershed to set higher water quality standards when
discharging. because without them we wouldn’t be In the first year, lead pipes were removed
able to service our communities safely. from 350 homes and saved customers about
A safe DC Water for all, above all else After all, water is life.”
$1,000,000 in replacement costs. In June of this
year, we unveiled our plan to replace all lead
Our front-line staff routinely work around potential service lines in the District by 2030.
hazards and some of our assets are accessible to the
public. At every single touchpoint, DC Water must
ensure that safety is our number one priority. We Lisa Stone
must ensure that regardless of whether you are an Chief People & Inclusion Officer
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A high performing network of systems and Minimizing service disruption for
assets is critical to reliability, using real-time customers
monitoring to inform better decision making. We cannot eliminate disruption entirely, but we can
Our aim is to continue to deliver an excellent reduce service impacts on our customers through
service for customers and ensure we a strong focus on minimizing the avoidable. Water,
minimize service disruption. This is enabled wastewater and storm water services need to be
reliable. While infrastructure constraints exist, we
by ensuring we adopt an integrated and can capitalize on active, remote monitoring to
enterprise-wide approach in order to deliver mitigate issues and protect our relationship with
services efficiently. customers. In the past, sewerage overflows into our
waterways have been a significant concern for us and
As we strive to be resilient, we must focus on the our stakeholders, particularly in the environmental
question of: community. The Clean Rivers program will continue
to reduce major overflows into our waterways.
”Can we deliver our agreed service level in an efficient However, there is a need to build on the Clean Rivers
and effective manner?” program by addressing smaller capacity sewers
through planned investment and initiating real time
Safeguarding a high performing network monitoring.
of systems and assets
The key to our reliability is our network of high- Undertaking real time monitoring to
performing systems and assets including water and inform decision making
sewer pipelines, hydrants, pumps, process facilities, Enabling the strategy through an “Our customers and communities
Collecting relevant, reliable and real-time data
and our IT systems that enable and protect them. We across our organization and assets empowers our integrated, enterprise-wide strategic expect and deserve the best, and we
must proactively plan and manage these, in a risk- teams to improve and optimize the way we operate, management approach
based manner, to ensure the level of service that our must strive to ensure we are providing
allowing for better responses to disruptions, failures Critically empowering the entire strategy is the
customers need and that we strive to deliver. We need and environmental concerns, and informing better creation of a unified enterprise-wide management
services to them whenever they need
to understand our vulnerabilities and potential failure
points to improve reliability. To date, we have successfully
investment and resource decision-making. We have system. Through the integration and optimization us. We must ensure that we consistently
already begun leveraging data by enhancing the of management systems and embedding of
improved our planned maintenance regimes. Now we use of analytics and modeling capabilities across
and reliably provide the best service
knowledge management, we will drive organizational
must take an integrated enterprise-wide value-driven the authority. We have completed and deployed effectiveness and reduce silos throughout DC Water. possible – whether that be through
approach to managing our assets, to identify weak points
and optimize our maintenance and upgrade regimes.
predictive models for water quality, water main breaks, Over the past year we advanced the Enterprise our operations at Blue Plains, or the
revenue and receipts tracking and meter monitoring. Performance Plan (EPP) and, in doing so, established a
These digital monitoring advances create an enabling customer experience delivered by our
Delivering excellent service for customers environment to achieve other themes within our
process for data-collection, analysis and reporting. We
call centers and customer facing teams,
must now leverage EPP’s successes to extend out and
in a timely manner strategy. We can supplement our analytical capability co-create an integrated management system with our or internally in the way we effectively
Customers are at the heart of our organization. We by implementing a real-time data driven approach staff to facilitate collaboration across clusters to realize
need to continue to proactively engage with our using remote monitoring devices enabling planned efficiencies and formalize knowledge management of
manage our organization.”
customers and communities to ensure we provide and predictive maintenance regimes. the various parts of our business.
excellent service. Over the past year, we launched
a customer communication plan that captures our
customers’ expectations and provides messaging to Kishia L. Powell, PE
enable better service. There is an opportunity to build Chief Operating Officer
on the improvements in communications by leveraging
technology and providing data driven services to
facilitate more timely response and resolution to
customer concerns.
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In order to adapt to shocks and stresses to approach enables stewardship, across all our assets:
our system, we must secure assets through physical, financial, intellectual and human resources.
To build resilience in our assets, we must embed this
proactive maintenance and value-driven value-driven approach into our asset management
asset management. plan. In Blueprint 2.0 we are presented with an
opportunity to shift to a life-cycle cost approach to
This will involve adapting assets susceptible to manage the whole of life costs of our assets more
impacts such as severe weather events while effectively.
mitigating against the potential future impacts of
climate change. In addition, we should consider Adapting to the impacts of climate
risks, such as cyber-security and terrorism. Reducing
reliance on the energy grid as well as securing
change
The impacts of climate change are predicted to have
Preparing for and learning from “The world is changing faster that
the resilience of our water supply is also critical to
protecting against long-term stresses. a significant impact on the water sector. It is urgent for emergency responses ever before and that increasingly
us to adjust our systems in response to more severe Our communities are already susceptible to flooding.
Resilience challenges aren’t unavoidable, and so the and frequent weather events to moderate impacts
puts pressures on all organizations.
With increasingly severe and frequent storms, the
Authority must continue to prepare for and learn from of an actual or expected future climate. The cost- impact on our communities stands to worsen. We need These short-term shocks and long-
emergency scenarios. benefit ratio of proactively investing in resilient water to continuously learn from emergency responses of the term stressors pose an unavoidable
resources and infrastructure will mean we may invest past to better prepare for the future. We must focus on
Only when we have a resilient system can we truly be more initially but save money over the long term. enhancing our proactive response plans and embed
risk to the authority and our ability to
sustainable, so we must answer the question: Investing in resilience now will enable us to absorb learning into emergency readiness planning, including service our nation’s capital. That’s why
short-term shocks and long-term stressors and reduce engaging and coordinating with DC stakeholders – we must safeguard our assets and
”Are we able to cope with and recover from
deferred, long term financial outlays. We must engage DC Government, police, and public heath to ensure
disruption, anticipating shocks and stressors to
wider stakeholders to launch a program to enhance roles and responsibilities in an emergency are well our organization to be as resilient as
maintain service?”
resilience within our watershed, considering assets, understood. We continue to improve communication possible to future events. While these
environment, and the local community. It should with our customers, employees, and wider communities
Securing resilience of water supply include flood protections, economic and operational
events might not be within our direct
during an emergency through multiple mediums and
Water systems are naturally vulnerable to shocks vulnerabilities in our system to understand potential platforms. control, our preparedness and ability
and stresses, such as weather events, contamination, costs of climate related disasters and opportunities to to respond and recover must be of
and terrorism. Due to the criticality of our high- strengthen resilience in our system. Protecting against the current and future critical focus to us.”
profile supply, we must ensure long-term resilience cybersecurity risks
of our existing and future water sources. We have Mitigating the future impacts of climate
Cyber threats are becoming more prevalent with
made strides in identifying water reuse options for change the potential to significantly impact our customers,
use during emergencies and partnered with the
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments The water industry contributes a significant amount employees, and wider communities. A targeted cyber- Marc Battle
(MWCOG) to establish source water monitoring for of greenhouse gas emissions – we need to take attack could have a vast impact and result in intentional Chief Legal Officer
early warning contaminant detection of the Potomac measures to act sustainably and mitigate against contamination of water supplies or leaked customer
River. Our next steps are to collate this work through a climate change. If there is a shock that results in data. We must protect our systems, stakeholders, and
strategic integrated water resource program utilizing limited or no energy supply, the water system will services from such risks. Our cyber security team is
best practices from global utilities and other sectors. also fail to deliver – highlighting the cascading coordinating with partners to prepare for potential
failures of fragile, interdependent systems. We must attacks. To prevent, we must strengthen our cyber risk
Securing assets through value-driven take accountability for our emissions, contribute to readiness assessment program including promoting
sustainable development while also enhancing our cyber security awareness and measures to employees.
asset management and proactive resilience. We must therefore set up a net zero carbon To be prepared to respond to an attack, we will launch
maintenance emissions program and reduce reliance on the energy a cyber incident response plan that considers the
An enhanced value-driven asset management grid. There are opportunities to allocate our own land readiness assessment program findings.
approach will be a core enabler to realizing our to renewable energy and innovate our assets and fleet
Resilient imperative. An integrated and portfolio to produce less emissions.
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Sustainability is about balancing the Recovering and reusing our planet’s Embedding a sustainable operating and Encouraging sustainability and efficiency
economic and social value we create with limited resources delivery model through rate structures
the environmental impact of doing so. With a limited number of resources available we must Aligning our assets and operations with our human Our customers expect leadership around sustainability
Ensuring that we make efficient use of capitalize on opportunities to promote sustainable resources is key to ensuring an effective, efficient, and challenges and as consumption behaviors change and
economic resources through operating consumption and production. This includes sustainable operating and delivery model. We must water usage per capita declines, we must assess how
efficiency and resource recovery and reuse identifying ways we can recover resources and reuse ensure we are capitalizing on the skills of our workforce, we can manage our rate structures moving forward.
our byproducts. We must also optimize resources succession planning for the future and embedding We must balance our cost recovery requirements with
is key. we currently use across our system to ensure we are knowledge transfer to increase organizational our pursuit of sustainable outcomes and the reduction
as efficient as possible. We have an opportunity to resilience. Over the past year, we conducted a in scarce resource use. We must work to ensure that
To deliver this, aligned partnerships and projects will
build on our previous success by continuing to find comprehensive review and evaluation of all DC Water our rate structure promotes sustainability outcomes
be required with broader watershed stakeholders to
new opportunities to generate revenue from our staff positions and subsequently developed training while ensuring revenue covers our costs.
ensure that sustainability principles are incorporated
byproducts through innovations and ongoing research programs that meet the needs of each job group.
across all watershed aspects. Internally, this must
and development and implementing solar. We must build on the training programs to embed
be supported by a sustainably driven operating and “Sustainability is about addressing the
an operating and delivery culture which formalizes
delivery model, focused on developing the correct social, environmental and economic
culture that drives trust, teamwork, innovation, and
Ensuring efficient use of economic succession planning, attracts talent and continues to
knowledge sharing. resources promote appropriate training. needs of both today and tomorrow. We
Resources are required to upgrade aging infrastructure,
Aligning partnerships and projects in a have an opportunity today to take an
Sustainability makes financial sense too – reducing protect against impacts of climate change, undertake
demand and potential losses due to natural disaster watershed management approach authority-wide approach to balancing
digital transformation, retain talent and institutional
and identifying alternative and innovative funding knowledge among other necessary costs. It is critical Water is a shared resource and best practice the needs of our communities with the
sources. that we maintain our usual level of service and pivot to water governance requires a holistic watershed impact of delivering for them, so that
the future, while balancing this with ensuring our rates management approach. We are situated within
To ensure we can serve our stakeholders equitably,
are affordable for all. An operational efficiency program the Anacostia Watershed with many upstream and
we can meet the needs of the present,
we should first ensure we can answer the question: without the compromising the ability
to identify opportunities to better control expenditures downstream stakeholders impacting the water quality
”Are we able to meet the needs of the present will enable us to find cost savings and invest them back and environment. For the outcomes of our strategy of future generations to meet those of
in the organization. A new investment model will be to be achieved, we must aspire to influence upstream
without compromising the ability of future generations
considered to ensure we continue to make optimal and downstream stakeholders to coordinate, align their own.”
to meet their own needs?”
investment decisions. and incorporate our sustainability principles. If we are
aligned with all relevant stakeholders, we can leverage
investment for better solutions. We will strengthen
existing partnerships and align to achieve common Matthew Brown
watershed objectives. Chief Financial Officer
Identifying innovative funding and
financing
Like all public agencies, we are constantly asked to
do more with less, and therefore finding alternative
sources of funding to finance critical capital
investment is key. To achieve our transformational
strategy, including financing urgent asset upgrades,
we must look at further approaches to utilize
alternative and innovative sources of funding and
financing moving forward. We must fill gaps in which
operational efficiencies can’t close through a plan
to capitalize on alternative or innovative funding
opportunities.
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DC Water’s desire to be an equitable Empowering communities through A totally engaged and aligned DC Water
organization touches on all parts of the equitable projects We cannot deliver an ambitious strategy like this,
Authority, starting with the decisions we We need to continue to engage and inform our key without all of our staff, from the boardroom to the
make around infrastructure. Carefully stakeholders in decisions on projects and initiatives breakroom, being engaged and empowered. If
considered infrastructure projects have that impact them. This will maximize the likelihood we treat our staff fairly and with respect, providing
transparency in our ambitions and decision-making,
the ability to greatly empower vulnerable of achieving our intended outcomes. Over the past
we will ensure everybody is proud to say, “I work
year, we’ve conducted town hall events, engaging
communities and ensure that work happens over 4000 customers. This year, we must reach the for DC Water.” We must ensure all our employees
in the areas where the negative impact of stakeholders that we are yet to engage during the receive fair treatment, there is transparency in
not doing it may be most felt. critical planning periods. We must reach them by decision-making, and all employees are engaged
promoting active, free and meaningful participation and know what to expect. We can build on the ‘We
This type of decision-making requires the organization by community members into the design of projects Are DC Water’ outreach to continue to promote
to ensure there are people that understand these and initiatives. honorable work at DC Water both internally and
challenges. Clear representation of these communities externally. Additionally, we will undertake participatory
requires an organization focused on equality, diversity Providing affordable and equitable rates engagement with staff to understand how best to
and inclusion. engage and make them feel honored to work here.
Water is a human right. Some customers already
With an equity focus, we should ultimately be able to struggle to pay bills and with increasing operating
ensure that there are affordable and equitable rates costs and the need to upgrade infrastructure, rates “We are so fortunate that the
for all customers. are being challenged. We must continue to provide communities that we serve are some
equitable and affordable rates that ensure our
To ensure we can serve our stakeholders equitably, we customers not only have access but are able to pay of the most vibrant, active and diverse
should first ensure we can answer the question: a fair share of the cost of service. During COVID-19, anywhere in the nation. But with this
we successfully set up new customer assistance comes the challenges of servicing
”Are we operating in an equitable manner to enable programs, to ensure no one went without water.
our employees, partners, customers and communities We must build on this to find alternatives to the all our stakeholders in a fair and
to prosper?” consumption-based model and identify shifts to water just manner. Equality of opportunity
equity, water management practices and conservation
Embedding equitable infrastructure models.
and numbers-based decision
decision-making making needs to make for equity
We must ensure that our capital spending and
Ensuring inclusive and diverse driven conversations that guarantee
infrastructure decisions are made equitably, protecting representation minimum standards for all, and that
the needs of the most vulnerable communities and We cannot deliver the best for our customers,
neighborhoods. Where possible, we need to target employees and wider communities if we do not
we get help to those who truly need
infrastructure programs with equitable principles in reflect them. We need to continue to ensure diversity it the most. Justice is everybody’s
mind, ensuring our vulnerable neighborhoods are flows through all levels of our organization and is responsibility.”
protected from flooding and sewer overflows. To embedded in our culture. Our diverse leadership
do this, we need to continue to engage with wider team is setting the example for our organization to
stakeholder groups and elected officials. follow. We must ensure the principles of diversity,
equity and inclusion are an integral part of our
Kirsten Williams
decision making and extend to the talent we attract
Chief Communications and
and retain at DC Water.
Stakeholder Engagement Officer
18 DC Water 19Developing and mobilizing the strategy
Developing the strategy Mobilizing the strategy
The Strategy & Performance team has led a robust and Development Goals (SDGs), City Water Resilience This document has set out our Blueprint 2.0 and our Post launch, we will be supporting teams to track
unique process to shape and develop Blueprint 2.0, Approach (CWRA), and horizon scanning and visioning ambition to 2027. In the second half of 2021, the progress of new Programs of Work and ongoing
defining our strategy to 2027. Over the past 8 months workshops. The SDGs provided key guiding principles Strategy and Performance team will be concentrating activities to achieve the set Goals, deliver our
we have engaged with more than 200 staff members, to expand the breadth of our thinking and recognize efforts on mobilizing our new strategy. We will work Strategic Themes and satisfy our Organizational
the Board of Directors and the CEO’s Stakeholder that development must balance social, economic and with our staff to define our specific Goals to ensure Imperatives. We plan to hold briefing sessions at
Alliance across a five phased approach to ensure we environmental sustainability. The CWRA brought DC effective strategy execution which will be supported regular intervals to keep the wider organization
have embedded a broad perspective and insight into Water staff together to share their perspectives and by a robust governance framework. The governance informed of key milestones. As we approach the
the five-year strategic plan. Our response is based on identify potential enterprise-wide vulnerabilities when framework will set out accountable and responsible launch of Blueprint 2.0, we will be focusing on an
the key building blocks of strategic planning which faced with internal and external shocks and stresses. owners for each Imperative and Theme and outline Imperative each month with several events to share
include: a critical diagnosis of the challenges (both The CWRA assessment identified an opportunity to the reporting process with the Board. The Imperative targeted and specific information. Quarterly and
internal and external) by engaging staff through shift toward a holistic and integrated systems thinking Accountable Owners are members of the Senior annual strategic reports will be shared with the Board
interviews and workshops, a clearly defined set of as part of Blueprint 2.0. Executive Team. Their role will be to sponsor each who will have a key role in ensuring we are held
imperatives and strategic themes, and a coherent set imperative and support the Theme Responsible accountable and are progressing toward our goals.
of coordinated actions, resource allocation and goals Contributions from our staff Owners in ensuring the theme requirements are Each report will capture a summary of our efforts
over the strategic planning period. The unique and We developed the strategy with critical input from a delivered, while Theme Responsible Owners will be and progress across all Imperatives and Themes,
participatory approach gathered insights from a cross cross section of DC Water stakeholders at each stage leading day-to-day management. After setting our highlighting areas of outstanding achievement and
section of DC Water’s staff and has resulted in a co- of the process and would like to express our gratitude Goals, we will identify existing activities and projects identifying areas that require more support.
created holistic strategy. to many of our staff who gave their time and expertise that contribute, conduct a gap analysis and identify
to provide insights. In the development of this strategy, new projects and Programs of Work to launch from
Together, we have expanded our thinking, utilizing later in 2021.
we challenged ourselves to go beyond our immediate
global best practices and a range of frameworks
focus to consider the longer-term and external impacts
and tools including the United Nations Sustainable
on our operations, people and communities.
“Our new strategy, Blueprint 2.0, is the
Ongoing communication and strategy launch critical enabler for the future direction
Stake
holde events with our staff: of authority – through listening to the
r enga
geme
nt thro voices of our staff, our communities
KEY INPUTS ughou
t each
phase 1 Mobilizing working groups and our stakeholders we have crafted
is cruc
ial
Leadership Engagement 2 Assign key roles and responsibilities something which is going to be a real
3 Develop ‘Goals’ and ‘Programs of Works’
turning point for our organization. With
this new strategy, we intend to shift the
Tactical Workshops 4 Launch Blueprint 2.0 Strategy
PHASE PHASE PHASE PHASE BLUEPRINT
needle of our focus from thinking about
1 2 3 4&5 2.0 5 Begin
measuring performance against strategy in terms of what we need to do,
Strategic Deep Dives Strategy Goals to why and how we intend to make the
change needed for our communities.“
Communicable
Detailed activity strategy
breakdown Wayne Griffith
Consolidated
Chief Strategy and
Wealth of data Imperatives
Performance Officer
and insight in the ‘top
of the funnel’
20 DC Water 21“Blueprint 2.0 will accentuate our standing
in the water and wastewater industry,
ensure we continue to deliver unparalleled
water services to our community and
position the organization to address
the needs of the future.”
David L. Gadis, CEO
22 DC Water“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all
of us, but I’m proud that this Authority and this
workforce have met the task head on, succeeded
in providing essential services uninterrupted
and is determined to persevere.”
David L. Gadis, CEO
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY
1385 CANAL STREET SE, WASHINGTON, DC 20003You can also read
