UIM Asset Management and BAMI-I Meet
The annual Water Utility Infrastructure Management (UIM) Asset Management Conference was held Dec. 14-15, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Buried Asset Management Institute — International (BAMI-I) on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
The BAMI-I meeting was the first day and was chaired by Dr. Tom Iseley, BAMI-I chairman and professor at IUPUI. The afternoon was a workshop that included a presentation on the nationwide launch of the Certification of Training in Asset Management online training program. Workshop topics included a presentation on “What’s Happening in Buried Pipe Deterioration Research” by Duncan. Rose, GHD Consultants; “Establishing an Asset Management Program for Small Communities” by Jim Raulston and Brian Norwood, Buried Asset Management Group; and “Asset Management Approach for Drinking Water Systems” by Tim Ball, Jordan Jones & Goulding. The first day concluded with a joint networking reception of BAMI-I and UIM Asset Management Conference attendees.
Day two was the Asset Management Conference. Sponsorship was provided by ConShield. A selection of the topics included: “Asset Management-GIS” presented by Karol Giokas, RJN; “Contracting – Private Public Partnerships for Water/Wastewater Infrastructure,” Adam McDonough, American Water; “Contracting — Performance Based Approach to Sewer Rehab,” Denise McClanahan, Reynolds Inc. “Contracting — Design-Build,” Thom Neff, Ockham Konsult, and the “Water-Energy Nexus,” Chris Barron, Veloia Water. A keynote address by Dr. William Blomquist, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI on the “Politics of Watershed Management” was thought provoking.
The conference closed with a roundtable on financing and funding. Participants included John Seever, Umbaugh & Associates; Justin Brugger, City of Fort Wayne; Kathleen Weissenberger, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs; Greg Delp, USDA, Rural Development; and Richard Splete, MWH. Bill Shook of ConShield commented that the conference was the best he had ever attended.
