Improving Water Services Provision Improving Water Services Provision Through a National Municipal Through a National Municipal

Benchmarking InitiativeBenchmarking Initiative

Benchmarking our way to better services, Benchmarking our way to better services, more effectively, more efficientlymore effectively, more efficiently

Water Services Leadership GroupWater Services Leadership Group

18 November 201118 November 2011

Water Services Water Services BenchmarkingBenchmarking

““A tool for performance A tool for performance improvement improvement through systematic through systematic search and search and adaptationadaptation of leading of leading practices”practices”

IWA’s Task Group on BenchmarkingIWA’s Task Group on Benchmarking

Beyond comparative ranking Beyond comparative ranking ⇒ To performance improvementTo performance improvement

Background to South Background to South African Water Services African Water Services

BenchmarkingBenchmarking 11stst National Benchmarking Initiative ran from 2005 to 2008 National Benchmarking Initiative ran from 2005 to 2008 Led by DWA, SALGA, WRCLed by DWA, SALGA, WRC Aimed to improve performance & support more sustainable water Aimed to improve performance & support more sustainable water

services deliveryservices delivery 67 municipalities by 200867 municipalities by 2008 KPIs from the Strategic Framework for Water Services KPIs from the Strategic Framework for Water Services Laid the basis for the RPMSLaid the basis for the RPMS

2010: SALGA / WRC review of water services benchmarking2010: SALGA / WRC review of water services benchmarking

2011: SALGA / WRC revive benchmarking to support municipal 2011: SALGA / WRC revive benchmarking to support municipal

performance improvement: water servicesperformance improvement: water services

Why revive benchmarking Why revive benchmarking now?now?

Improve performance, with an emphasis on improving Improve performance, with an emphasis on improving service deliveryservice delivery

Measurement, analysis, comparison and shared Measurement, analysis, comparison and shared learninglearning

Why revive benchmarking Why revive benchmarking now?now?

““Service delivery is a by-product of effective, efficient Service delivery is a by-product of effective, efficient and economical processes that are informed by strategic and economical processes that are informed by strategic direction, resource planning and implementation”direction, resource planning and implementation”

Treasury MFMA Circular, October 2011 Treasury MFMA Circular, October 2011 

Measuring and comparing operational and business Measuring and comparing operational and business performance provides performance provides feedback on where and how to improve feedback on where and how to improve service deliveryservice deliveryInternal comparison, month by month, quarter by quarterInternal comparison, month by month, quarter by quarterExternal comparison with peersExternal comparison with peers

What’s the difference between What’s the difference between this and the RPMS? this and the RPMS?

Regulatory benchmarking – e.g. RPMSRegulatory benchmarking – e.g. RPMS Why: External assessment of performance with mandatory Why: External assessment of performance with mandatory

requirements - and a big stickrequirements - and a big stick Someone else decides what mattersSomeone else decides what matters

Performance benchmarking – Municipal Benchmarking Performance benchmarking – Municipal Benchmarking InitiativeInitiative Why: You want to improve your own operational and business Why: You want to improve your own operational and business

performance, and see how you compare with othersperformance, and see how you compare with others

YouYou decide what matters, and where and how to improve, decide what matters, and where and how to improve, based on your own needs and objectivesbased on your own needs and objectives

For Municipalities, by Municipalities, to the Benefit of For Municipalities, by Municipalities, to the Benefit of Municipal Services Municipal Services

The Promise that The Promise that Municipal Benchmarking Municipal Benchmarking

HoldsHolds

Beyond Assessment, Beyond Assessment, to Progressive to Progressive ImprovementImprovement

The Implementation ProcessThe Implementation Process

Learning and ImprovementLearning and Improvement

Driving Smart ImprovementDriving Smart Improvement

High-profile, SALGA-led initiativeHigh-profile, SALGA-led initiative For municipalities, by municipalities, to the benefit of municipalitiesFor municipalities, by municipalities, to the benefit of municipalities Aligned to International Best PractiseAligned to International Best Practise Initially Focused on Key ThemesInitially Focused on Key Themes Municipalities choose themesMunicipalities choose themes Well aligned to Sector processesWell aligned to Sector processes

Department of Water AffairsDepartment of Water Affairs TreasuryTreasury DCoGDCoG PresidencyPresidency etcetc

Key Features of the new MBIKey Features of the new MBI

We appreciate the difficulties of struggling We appreciate the difficulties of struggling municipalities and have strategies for municipalities and have strategies for

dealing with thisdealing with this• Maximum inclusiveness, through a stratified, modular approach Maximum inclusiveness, through a stratified, modular approach

to performance reportingto performance reporting• Surfaces & uses Surfaces & uses Existing Existing Municipal data Municipal data • Support provided in identifying relevant KPIs and building Support provided in identifying relevant KPIs and building

data assessment systems data assessment systems • Focuses on progressive municipal performance improvementFocuses on progressive municipal performance improvement• Core common indicators for external comparisonCore common indicators for external comparison• Knowledge sharing and peer networking through local, regional Knowledge sharing and peer networking through local, regional

and national forumsand national forums• Web-based database, able to generate Web-based database, able to generate

automatic easily readable reportsautomatic easily readable reports

We recognize the Wide range of Contexts

MBI Website Mock-up: Landing PageMBI Website Mock-up: Landing Page

Management Dashboard: OverviewManagement Dashboard: Overview

Topic Module: including Dashboard, supportive Topic Module: including Dashboard, supportive resources and toolsresources and tools

Topic Module: KPI DashboardTopic Module: KPI Dashboard

• Allows for and guides choice of YOUR causative variables as to chosen KPIs• Helps ensure you are tracking YOUR critical performance improvement dials

Set and Track your Own TargetsSet and Track your Own Targets

Phase 1: Review & Design PhasePhase 1: Review & Design Phase Phase 2: Initiation amongst all WSAsPhase 2: Initiation amongst all WSAs Phase 3: Institutionalization & Phase 3: Institutionalization &

Consolidation Consolidation Phase 4: Iterative & Ongoing Phase 4: Iterative & Ongoing

StrengtheningStrengthening

Where is Project Now?

In ConclusionIn Conclusion How am I doing?How am I doing?

Against my own previous performanceAgainst my own previous performance Against my peersAgainst my peers

Recognition – of achievements and challengesRecognition – of achievements and challenges Feedback on the impact of adjustmentsFeedback on the impact of adjustments Learn from peers Learn from peers

‘‘communities of practice’communities of practice’ Help and supportHelp and support Build understanding of what makes a difference to Build understanding of what makes a difference to

performance, and how to replicate it more widelyperformance, and how to replicate it more widely Will lead to Will lead to substantial improvements substantial improvements in water services delivery …in water services delivery …

Thank you