Benchmarking and Performance Assessment

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The Benchmarking and Performance Assessment SG (BPA SG) is an international forum for discussing and improving the state of the art in all activities related to the performance assessment and improvement of water services. The group is responsible for the IWA frameworks of performance indicators and benchmarking and strongly linked to the AquaRating system. Group members include practitioners, academics, regulators and consultants.

The assessment and improvement of water services is becoming more and more relevant. IWA initiatives like AquaRating or The Lisbon Charter have recently showed the sector’s focus on properly assessing and improving the water services. Developing and implementing the most adequate tools to carry out some of these policies lies in the core of the Specialist Group’s activities. In the future, the pressure on the services to improve their efficiency, but also their transparency and accountability, will require a more intensive use of performance assessment and improvement tools.

In 2016 the Specialist Group will achieve the publication of the 3rd edition of the Manual of Best Practices on Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services. Additionally, the implementation of AquaRating and the first results of this system operated by IWA will be an important part of the focus of the Specialist Group.

The BPA SG organizes the biannual PI Conference series (on benchmarking and performance assessment). The PI conferences are the perfect environment to present experiences, learn about other benchmarking and performance assessment projects around the world, and a traditional forum where ideas and methodologies are exchanged. The next PI Conference will be held in Vienna (Austria) in 2017.

The SG is open and always welcomes new members. If you wish to join, you can contact any of the group’s officials or attend any of the group’s meetings. Water utilities, associations, regulators and international bodies are welcome to use the group as a networking tool and a meeting environment to develop and extend their performance assessment and benchmarking efforts. The group meets at least once every year (in the IWA World Congresses or the Pi Conference of the alternate year).