Overview

Shortages, delays, and increased costs can create detrimental inefficiencies for water utilities, municipalities, and the public. Drinking water distributors must comply with stringent regulations to ensure communities have safe and reliable drinking water. This course will dive into general supply chain elements and provide strategies specific for the water industry, such as mapping supply chain, reviewing the lead time elements, and discussing key supply chain strategies for improving reliability lead times.  “Outside the supply chain” elements will be discussed, as they specifically effect water chemical usage and how to lower risk.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore and define the elements of Supply Chain for Water Utilities and Municipalities including lead times, supplier(s) management and sourcing
• Practice using Value Stream Mapping for analysis of current state and design of future state of water utilities and municipalities
• Review relationship cultivation best practices for vendor management and communication
• Implement strategies for successful supply chain management like Vendor Managed Inventory, dual sourcing, S&OP meetings, Purchase Orders (POs) with receipt dates, secondary markets, and more
• Discuss operations outside of the supply chain on chemical use reduction & resiliency like AMI & Ultrasonic, leak detection, water tower mixing, and water tower painting

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Welcome

• Course objectives
• Attendee introductions

Supply Chain Optimization Elements for Water Utilities and Municipalities

• Lead times
• Supplier(s) and sourcing
• Materials Planner and/or Project Owner
• Value Stream Map
• Strategies

Supply Chain Optimization Through Value Stream Mapping

• Analysis of current state
• Design of future state
• Hands-on exercise: Let’s map your organization’s value stream

Relationship Cultivation

• Vendor management and communication best practices
• Have you communicated your importance to their business?
  • The percentage of their business is yours
  • You have other options
  • The opportunity for growth with your company/municipality
• Two Way Street – They do need to make a profit

Supply Chain Lead Times for Water Utilities and Municipalities

• Lead time internally for ordering
  • Presentation for council
  • Council approval
  • RFP design
    • Issuance
    • Decision
    • RFP timelines
  • Group discussion on improvement ideas and parallel paths

Supplier(s) and Contractors

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023

Materials Planner and Order Trigger

• Minimum and maximum
• Project definition
• Days-on-hand
• Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)
• KanBan (systems for lean manufacturing scheduling)

Strategies for Successful Supply Chain

• Vendor managed inventory
  • Usage
  • Inventory
  • Demand
• Advanced Order Notice
  • RFP Design
  • Forecasting
• Advanced purchasing and pre-buys
• Order swapping
• Supply order cadence
• Dual sourcing
• S&OP meetings
• Purchase Orders (POs) with receipt dates
• Secondary markets
• JIT (just-in-time)
• Group discussion on used and successful strategies

Outside the Supply Chain on Chemical Use Reduction & Resiliency

• AMI & Ultrasonic: How AMI & Ultrasonic metering will help chemical consumption and chemical needs
• Leak detection
• Water tower mixing
• Water tower painting

Eric Larson, Utility Solutions Manager, Badger Meter

Eric Larson is a Utility Solutions Manager with Badger Meter. He gives consultation to Badger customers to maximize the benefits of AMI metering and the use of Beacon Software. Prior to joining Badger Meter in October 2022, Eric worked as the Senior Manager of Operations for Illinois American Water. He oversaw water and wastewater operations in 12 municipalities. His operations included three bulk sale municipal contracts. Eric led the operations for Illinois American Water for 6 years. Prior to Eric joining American Water, he has held supply chain, leadership, and engineering roles in manufacturing working for fortune 500 companies including Caterpillar and Kraft-Heinz. Eric gained APICS certification in supply chain in 2013, his MBA in 2021, his chemistry undergraduate degree in 2004. He is a Class C water operator in Illinois. Eric is married and has four children.