PI09 Benchmarking water services - the way forward

Benchmarking water services in order to improve performance and transparency is top of mind in the water industry. The IWA conference on benchmarking of March 2006 in Amsterdam and the PI08 conference of March 2008 in Valencia underlined this. IWA Specialist Groups already pay a lot of attention to the subject and recently a joint Task Group has been established to produce a manual of best practices of benchmarking. All of these activities have lead to the idea of rganising a series of IWA benchmarking conferences in alternating places, to raise the understanding of benchmarking and to promote further development of benchmarking programmes and utilities’ participation. The next conference in this framework will focus on new developments and utilities’ experiences with benchmarking.

The program will be built upon submitted abstracts/papers related to the conference themes. Scientific papers as well as documented case studies and general review papers are all encouraged for submission.

The conference will focus on providing a forum for the discussion about advances in and practical experiences with benchmarking. Although a wide spectrum of scientific and technical interests may be presented at the meeting major emphasis will be expected on:
I. Case studies
– applied benchmarking methodologies (performance assessment)
– experiences with process benchmarking approaches
– experiences with IWA’s PI-system
– ISO TC224 experiences
– lessons and results - what benefit came out of benchmarking exercises
II. New developments in benchmarking
– methodologies
– benchmarking sustainability (environmental-/ climate footprint assessment, economic & social
sustainability assessment)
III. Organising benchmarking projects
– organizational and multi-organizational challenges and benefits of benchmarking
– industry-driven programmes
– regulatory programmes
IV. Benchmarking & transparency
– the role of benchmarking in water sector policy

Papers and posters within the scope of the conference are welcome. Authors should submit an abstract of about
1,000 words (2 pages) to the Conference Secretariat, before November 15, 2008. The contributions should focus on the topics mentioned. Send also a photograph and a short text about yourself with your abstract.
All abstracts should be typewritten in English. An international Programme Committee will review the
abstracts. Only papers and posters presented in person by the author(s) will be accepted. Authors must be able to meet their own expenses and fee.