Sewerage infrastructure asset management based on a consumer-centric approach

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Urban Planning
• Public Policy

Background:

• Public infrastructure asset management is crucial in developed nations.
• Sewerage systems present significant management challenges due to undefined service levels and user satisfaction gaps.
• Increasing global flood damage necessitates improved inland flood management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the target level of service improvement for sewerage systems.
• To integrate consumer expectations with actual complaint data for better management.
• To inform public policy regarding infrastructure investment and flood risk mitigation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of consumer willingness to pay using the contingent valuation method.
• Utilizing flood damage complaint data as a proxy for service failure frequency.
• Case study focusing on an inland flood management project in South Korea.

Main Results:

• Consumers indicated a willingness to allocate 25% of their current monthly sewage bill towards management projects.
• A preference was identified for addressing issues in early stages when costs are lower.
• Complaint data correlated with the frequency and impact of flood damage.

Conclusions:

• Combining user expectations and complaint data provides a viable method for setting service improvement targets.
• Cost-effective, proactive infrastructure management is preferred by the public.
• Findings support evidence-based investment in public sewerage and flood management systems.