Asset Management Plan integration with Vesikolmio Oy’s strategy
Vesikolmio Oy acknowledges its responsibility as an operator of critical infrastructure. The company commissioned Sweco to develop an asset management plan that aligns with both its strategic goals and daily operations.
Vesikolmio Oy’s Asset Management Plan
The updated Water Services Act requires utilities to prepare an asset management plan. Vesikolmio Oy, a wholesale water utility operating in the Kalajokilaakso region, took a proactive approach by ordering the plan from Sweco ahead of the legislative change.
“We wanted to ensure we had enough time to prepare and integrate the plan into our strategy and everyday operations,” says Risto Bergbacka, CEO of Vesikolmio Oy. The plan supports long-term management of the company’s repair backlog and investment scheduling.
As water supply is part of critical infrastructure, systematic maintenance and development of assets are essential for risk management and societal security. “Our goal is to guarantee long-term access to clean water and wastewater treatment for our customers.”
Project summary
- Proactive planning: Vesikolmio Oy commissioned Sweco to develop the asset management plan before the legislative change, ensuring its integration into strategy and operations.
- Risk management and security: The plan helps manage repair debt, schedule investments, and safeguard critical infrastructure.
- Workshop-based development: The plan was shaped through workshops covering administration, water utility assets, IT systems, and investments.
- Expert consultation: Sweco’s industrial IT specialists were consulted to ensure comprehensive asset management.
- Investment 0verview: The plan provides a long-term financial strategy and outlines development tasks, emphasizing the importance of understanding total investment needs.
Workshop-based development of the asset management plan
Vesikolmio had already initiated systematic asset management, which facilitated the documentation of existing practices and identification of development needs.
“Vesikolmio has a highly motivated and efficient small team, which made the planning process smoother,” says Jaana Pulkkinen, Project Manager at Sweco. The content was developed through dialogue. “We organized workshops to discuss topics such as administration, water utility assets, IT systems, maintenance, and investments.”
Pulkkinen highlights the importance of a holistic approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of utility operations. Asset management also includes computers, IT systems, and software. “That’s why we involved Sweco’s industrial IT experts in the process.”
Bergbacka sees the greatest value in external expertise that brings deep domain knowledge and helps identify areas for improvement. “Sweco’s project manager immediately demonstrated strong water utility experience and excellent knowledge of plants and networks.”
Comprehensive investment planning
The asset management plan offers a broad overview of asset management as a management system. It includes a long-term financial strategy and development tasks with assigned responsibilities and implementation timelines. It consolidates into one document how the utility systematically manages all its assets.
“With systematic asset management, the goal is to ensure sufficient resources, timely investments, financial stability, and operational reliability,” Pulkkinen explains. Balancing different investment needs is always challenging, and the company must understand its overall investment requirements. “Even if major investments have been made in treatment plants, the need for investment in the water distribution network remains.”
The plan marks the beginning of Vesikolmio’s strategic asset management development and serves as a multi-level management and decision-making tool. It also represents a new step in Vesikolmio’s sustainability journey.
“Until now, we’ve focused on environmental responsibility and achieving carbon-neutral wastewater treatment. Now, asset management expands our sustainability perspective to include operational continuity,” Bergbacka concludes.